


Fate/Inheritors

by Erisa



Series: Fate/Legacies [1]
Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel (Anime 2017), ロード・エルメロイⅡ世の事件簿 - 三田誠 | Lord El-Melloi II Case Files - Sanda Makoto
Genre: F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Rape/Non-con Elements, Route: Heaven's Feel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2020-09-19 00:51:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 22
Words: 82,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20322373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erisa/pseuds/Erisa
Summary: A Variation of the heavens feel route, that focus's on a what if one of Medusa's descendants survived to this day, and was dragged into the events of Heavens feel.





	1. The stolen Girl

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter one rewritten its about 5000 words longer than before please re read it and I will have the reworks to 2 and 3 up shortly apologies

** 1994 a month after the 4th Holy grail war.**

Laughing hysterically the heir to the Atrum family heir a man in his early twenties pushed back in his couch as two of his concubines rested their heads on his shoulders. The news he received made him quite happy, the El-Melloi master had failed along with the rest. What did the Mages Association expect sending someone who’s ego would prevent him from taking it seriously. Leaning forward in a manner that evoked one thinking they were the Godfather he picks up the extravagantly hand carved ivory phone on the table before him.  
  
“Guess what I got my chance, lets go look for the Edelfelt hag who fled the third grail war, and see what relics she has.” Placing the phone down with the flourish that would make chefs jealous he pushed both the women off of him.

**January 1997 East coast United States, Centralia Pennsylvania**

The man known as Atrum Galliasta stood in the smoke filled ruins of a burnt down house, before him a small terrified ten year old wearing a blindfold covered in glowing arcane runes. “So this is what became of the younger sister who fled.” His eyes shifted to the dead woman beside the child, her long blond hair, and fair skin made it very clear to him who she was. “Edelfelt traitor” his words full of venom as his foot collides with the corpses stomach.

Tracing the Runes with his finger his free hand gripping her chin violently causing her to cry out as he took his time examining her. “Search the house, we are taking this child with us” she had mystic eyes, that blindfold only had one purpose to seal magical circuits. He had to admit the Edelfelt woman was smart to come here, a ghost town with few residents, set on a leyline that is on fire, in the middle of Rural Pennsylvania no wonder no one could find her. Walking towards the basement he watched his servants in their white robes and collars pull the door way clear of debris, going down the stairs it was like he thought. The basement had been reinforced as well as being her workshop, relics thats all he cared about were relics something he could use in the coming war.  
  
A golden sheen caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Approaching the shimmer of light in the unfinished stone basement, his eyes fell upon the artifact known as the golden fleece or at least what he thought was the fleece, since it seemed to be made of small gold scales interwoven into the fleece of a ram. Just touching it his crest flared causing him to drop the artifact briefly confusion on his face. No doubt about it this was the fleece, picking it up again he had one of his servants pack it into a crate. A twisted grin appearing upon his face “an Argonaut I will have to thank the Edefelt’s when I claim the grail.”

**2000 4 years before the next grail war**

“Master Atrum we found it, it seems like your theory was correct, the golden fleece was made from the remains of the gorgons. We found these in the cave under the ruins of Colchis in Georgia.” The servant woman held out her hand, her face trembling behind her mask fearful that he’d pull the chain on her collar or hit her again. In her hand was a thin shedding on snake skin with golden scales on it. He stood, she flinched as he approached her, the girls on his throne sliding into each others embrace as he left. She had no idea what drugs he gave them but she didn’t want to displease him to find out.

Reaching for the small scales he smiled examining one curiously with these he could make a focus for summoning the dragon, with the golden fleece he could summon Medea the traitorous witch. Pushing the woman aside he motioned for her to follow as they entered the fluorescent lights of the workshop, the work he ordered on the mana crystal convergence system was coming along nicely. However the large circular room wasn’t his priority pressing his hand against a panel on the far wall he entered into the surgery ward. “Bring me the child we recovered from the Edelfelt woman.”

She turns leaving him the last of the scales, terrified of what he was thinking she approaches the child storage locker using the controls to bring the thirteen year old girl out of semi stasis. The children he routinely kidnapped often didn’t survive as more than sacrifices so the servants tended to be very protective of this girl. She was special and it took a lot of convincing on their parts to keep him from sacrificing her. He let them bring her out occasionally to educate her, he even brought her a pair of glasses he looted from her mothers home that negated her eyes so she could learn to read. But they knew once the grail war started she would most likely be killed along with the rest of the children. This girls only purpose was to be used as a weapon in the war, pulling her into a hug she carried the blindfolded child who clung to her nervously into the surgery room, she shuddered under her mask as she felt the enchantments on her collar warm as a warning. Nodding she gently lowers the girl onto the table and strapped her limbs into place.

“Don’t worry I’m not going to kill your pet, we are just going to implant some of these scales of her ancestor into her.”

“But Master Atrum won’t doing that damage her origin?” She pleaded with a panic knowing how painful origin destruction was as he laughed at her, she remembered his experiments on trying to recreate the origin bullets Mage Killer Emiya used. They failed but that didn’t mean she didn’t watch several children die screaming in agony for the tests.

“Normally yes, however she’s a demi god, or at least the closest we have to one, and these well these belong to a divine being. So if anything they should bring her closer to her ancestor than destroying her.” His mocking tone did nothing to assuage her fears. She watched him surgically implant the scales into each of her limbs and her back, she watched as the girl her and the other servants cared for screamed in agony. She flailed begging for the pain to stop her magical circuits flared to life after the last scale was implanted. The restraints started to buckle under her attempts to rip her arms free. Before the girl broke free she saw her master snap a collar like her own around the girls neck. No sooner is her arm free than she buckles over in pain as the collar activates searing her neck with heated runes.  
  
**2004 4 months before the Fuyuki Grail war**

The heavy collar on her neck cut made breathing and swallowing difficult as she was yanked hard by the chain attached to it, the thick cloth hood obscuring her vision as she fell to the ground unable to catch herself with her bound hands. “Ah here is the specimen” She felt her hood be yanked off, the her captor’s long conditioned blond hair tied back in a loose ponytail, that was jarring to look at next to his dark skin. The fetish nuns pulled her up by her shoulders as a woman with blue hair covered head to toe in purple robes touched her chin lifting it ever so slightly so that she could see her face.  
  
“What does this girl have to do with summoning and controlling The Colchian dragon?” Trying to pull herself free from the womans grasp she saw the other prisoners hanging inside a tank. Fear ran through her as she tried to break free the glasses tied to her face prevented her from moving her head to much, as the servant holding her down restrained her head, they didn’t want her shaking the glasses off.

“You mean the great Medea doesn’t know?” his tone was condescending, all she wanted was to go home, but where was home, did it still exist? Her long since dead eyes stared the woman before her, she didn’t look like the Fetish nun who treated her nicely.

“She has strong magical circuits,she has mystic eyes but these scars on her body” She tried to pull her face free of the woman but the fetish nuns behind her held her still. That name Medea she was an Argonaut, the one who murdered her children. She didn’t want to die, why did they abduct her she’s just a girl with shitty vision.

“Yes her eyes are dangerous, because a few of the servants here decided to pity her they begged and worked their knees like good girls till I got those glasses for her.” The vulgar implication in his words made the Witch’s eyes twitch under her hood. “As for the scars those are simply from experiments, nothing harmful. Can you use her to control the dragon?” His voice wasn’t making it a question he was demanding an answer and what was this woman to say? Hell why wasn’t she herself being given a say what did she know about controlling a dragon?!

The woman called Medea brushed back the girls dark brown hair that had purple highlights in it, they’d started appearing ever since her surgery years ago.The ancient Magus smiled weakly as she saw the fear in her beautiful prism like eyes. She stared slightly at her rectangular pupils it was barely noticeable but the witch had seen them. The girl was terrified, she wanted to go back to her cell. “Let me see your workshop” the woman said as she felt herself being yanked back by the fetish nuns, the bag pulled back over her head, a prick in her neck as the world went dark.

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When light came to her heavy eyes again she was in some sort of temple, the woman known as Medea sitting over the scared girl in torn and bloodied robes, beside her an imposing man sat next to her his stare made her feel smaller than she already did, as the bloodied woman reached for the girls restraints the scared child flinched. The woman paused at that, then motioned that she was simply trying to undo them, the girl relented as her limbs were freed, her collar removed releasing her from four years of an oppressive hold. “Tell me child, what is your name?” her words weren’t vicious or commanding they held fear and worry behind them.

“I think…my name was Virginia…” she stammered out massaging her olive skinned wrists nervously. “Thats…what Maggy called me… are you going to kill me?” she looked up at her with dull fearful eyes.

The woman smiled shaking her head “no, I will bring you no harm as long as you do what I say Virginia.” With that she loosened the ropes binding the girls glasses to her face. “That fool who abducted you, seemed to fear your mystic eyes, Tell me have you ever used them?”

She shook her head.

“Did you ever learn anything relating to magic?” she nodded hugging her knees.

“Maggie taught me some things, it was hard to learn since she kept my eyes covered. But she used to say I was special.”

The witch thought for a minute before giving a warm smile “How old are you?”

“I..think I’m 17”

“May I read your mind?” she gently held out her hands as the girl nodded slowly stopping her rocking temporarily. No sooner had Medea’s hands connected with her head than a flood of memories came rushing back. _In a room she was crying as she heard gasping breaths behind her. Eyes closed she kept crying as she felt herself be held and cooed gently, opening her eyes the she saw a man in a white coat and stethoscope quickly turning to stone._

_ “We need to put her to sleep now!” She heard a person shout in the background, a blind fold was quickly pulled over her eyes as she cried out in fear. The world vanished she was three sitting on her floor playing with cars as her eyes sealed behind a blindfold, she could hear and feel everything in the world, her body seem to be supernaturally aware of what was around her._

_That new woman had stopped by she remembered she smelled like the flowers mommy kept in a jar on her nightstand. She could hear mommy crying, as the new woman approached her. “Hey sweetie, you’re going to come live with me for now. Nobody will ever hurt you again.” The woman whispered in her ears as she was lifted off the ground. Her daddy was putting her toys away, following them from behind putting them inside the car next to her as she was fastened in._

_Time seemed to warp and bend around them again. “You aren’t welcome here Atrum, I don’t want anything do do with that fool hardy war.” The door slammed behind Maggie, hand on the wall she carefully walked towards the sounds of people talking outside as she felt herself be grabbed and thrown to the ground. Maggie’s smell, the heat around them, smoke, their house was on fire…no Maggie said the bad fire couldn’t reach them…she said it was safe. “Maggie…” she cried as the larger woman held her in a protective embrace. Maggie was ripped off of her, the sound of her hitting the wall made the small Virginia start crying, ozone filled the air as her adoptive mother began to charge what sounded like Grandr. “Stay away from my daughter!” her mothers voice no longer fearful but full of rage, before it could finish charging a gunshot echoed in the room. The noise made the small girls blood run cold. No she can’t be hurt, she promised they’d be safe, she promised, their safe they have to be they can’t be in danger. “MAGGIE!” her voice filled the room with cries only to be answered with a blow to her cheek so hard she couldn’t move. Clutching her face in pain her senses overloaded, she couldn't even defend herself when something hard like a brick slammed into the back of her neck._

“So that bastard killed your Magus adoptive parent, then kidnapped you, well little one I’ll make sure your never in a situation like that again, I’ll help you master those eyes of yours.” The Princess of Colchis pulled the teen into a warm hug, holding her tightly to her chest as the girl started crying again. Medea’s cold treacherous heart ached for the child, she’d lost not one but two sets of parents and then was turned into that failures experiment. At the same point the rage she felt towards that man who summoned her she wished she’d made him suffer, for now though even if its only for a while she would take care of her.

“Where are we?” She asked nervously as the man next to her who to this point had said not a word spoke up “Fuyuki city Japan. The battle ground of the up coming Holy Grail war, which starts soon.”

Her eyes widened behind her glasses “That would explain why we’ve been speaking in Japanese I guess.” She was thankful Maggie had taught her Latin, German, and Japanese on top of the English she learned from before her adoption. Medea grinned looking at the girl and placing her hands back on the girls head, she could feel knowledge being forced into her mind, more complete versions of her language lessons, as opposed to the basics she learned from her adoptive mother.

“Virginia dear I’d like to see what your mother taught you if that’s alright?” Medea rose offering her slender hand to the scared teenager, the girl took it and was led to the woods. “I’m going to Summon some familiars dispatch them however you like, your eyes are permitted as well just make sure you don’t look at us alright.”

She nodded stretching her sore joints as a swarm of dragon toothed skeletons appeared before her, reaching up she removed her glasses, the moment they left her face Medea could feel the bounded field activate the sheer pressure from it when the dragon teeth started rapidly turning into a series of statues. The girls hair was floating in the air slithering like snakes as she simply stood there, the girls purple and brown hair then whipped around as the girl charge slamming her fist into one of the statues turning it to dust in a single blow. Each of her limbs illuminated by a faint glow most likely reinforcement magic, a useful starting class as expected. Summoning a pair of dragon teeth behind the girl she saw her arm whip behind her firing an watery orb at the two without looking at them, each skeleton turned to ice from the shot, deactivating her summons she claps her hands “okay thats enough, put your glasses back on and come here” Caster was very impressed.  
  
“You seem to have an affinity for Water, and you have mystic eyes that petrify opponents while activating a localized bounded field. You have the basic concept of Reinforcement magecraft as well, would you mind coming closer and opening your mouth though?” she smiled as the girl nervously approached her mouth open, as the old sorceress thought fangs too, meaning she could drink blood. The gorgons though never had affinity for water, but in the stories Medusa was raped by Poseidon who was a god of water, if the stories of her having two children were true, then that would mean this girl was only a recent demigod, since in those myths most of Medusa’s grandchildren were all still phantasmal beasts or gods. She saw the small surgical scar on the girls neck as Virginia closed her mouth she felt Medea’s bare hand touch it, but no sooner had she done so than the Servant collapsed to her knees gasping for air as the contact was broken.

Virginia fell to her knees covering her head instinctively as the mighty witch stood, the girl had been beaten a lot that much was sure, not sure how to proceed she simply rubbed the girls head gently. “Its alright, I need to look into what that fool did to you and I need to find out what.” She lead her back to their room at the temple pulling a small frilly Gothic dress from a drawer handing it to her. “Go get changed little one, I’ll be ready once your done.” The girl left as she pulled out her old tome, she needed to see what could be under those scars, whatever it was it started rapidly absorbing her prana as soon as she touched it.

After a bit Virgina returned in a beautiful dress with detailed frills running down, and artistic stitching making it look like something one would expect a vampire to wear rather than a teenage girl. It was obvious to everyone in the room Medea had a side that enjoyed things like this. As they ate she continued to think of a way to investigate those surgery scars. If she wanted to help the girl she might need to ask another master for help, from what she could find in her tomes something like that was most likely a magical parasite. If she weren’t a servant she could remove it no issue, but she couldn’t risk her master either she needed someone who could seal the pieces and remove them. However one thing she did discover in her research was that the man who was summoning her lied, he didn’t provide those glasses, he just held on to them. It seems the girls adoptive mother had made them for her, and before she could present them that bastard attacked them. While it hurt her to tell this, Virginia seemed to smile at her finding out the glasses were from her former guardian.

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The next time she woke she saw the man who introduced himself as Souichirou Kuzuki a teacher at the local high school. Due to her lack of family, and her unique status as a partial Gorgon he offered to let her live with him under the guise of his adoptive daughter, she could at least have a months of normalcy before the war started and during the war help with reconnaissance. She didn’t object as so far neither had given her a reason to distrust them. With that the following day she was enrolled in the high school as a transfer student.

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It was a rather boring morning for Rin Tohsaka, Ayako had been pestering her this morning about their bet on who’d get a boyfriend first. Seemed to be a recurring conversation why did she ever agree to that bet? Not like she’d settle for just anyone. When Mr Kuzuki entered the room they all stood and proceeded to bow before taking their seats again, she propped her head up with her left arm listening to the teacher talk about the upcoming events. Mostly tuning them out as she thought of her father's will and that coded message she was having zero luck decoding. Ug why was this so difficult, she’s twice the Magus he was and smarter too yet this code kept alluding her.

“We will be having a transfer student join us today.” Her motioned for a girl to enter, she was tall, about five foot seven, easily dwarfing the girls in class, but thats not what stood out. Her purple and brown hair seemed impossibly perfect with an otherworldly sheen. Lifting her head up she felt hot under the collar, the girl was beautiful, something made her want to know this person, looking around seems she wasn’t the only one. Every person attracted to women was staring at her as she wrote her name on the chalkboard, part in English, part in Japanese. Virginia Kuzuki..ku..zu..ki her eyes bulged slightly as her homeroom teacher hugged the girl before looking towards the rest of the class. The obvious question on everyones mind right now, was she his daughter? “Settle down, Virgina is my step daughter from my recent marriage.” He said in the most deadpan tone possible but the room seemed shocked. The emotionless teacher who seemed almost robotic wasn’t just married, he had an adoptive child!?

Looking at the girl back over she seemed very nervous but her eyes while beautiful they had that same dullness to them that her sister did. Was he abusive? Did her previous parent abuse her? Why did she look that internally dead, and why couldn’t she take her damn eyes off her. This girl was seriously making looking away hard, it couldn’t be magecraft could it? No the girl didn’t cast anything and she would have sensed it. Could it be just a natural charm ability..no that wouldn’t make sense either thats restricted to divine beings. Or was it Rin was really just that attracted to women and had an American Fetish.. Oh please no. She dreaded that thought but she was also already imagining several dirty things she wanted to do to the girl and it made her blush. Having completely lost her awareness do to this conundrum she didn’t realize the girl had taken the seat next to her, until it was too late.

Once Lunch time hit she noticed the girl being swarmed by half the class girls and guys pestering her with questions. “Hey!” she shouted loud enough to get the groups attention, the girl looked at her pleadingly, she nodded “Virginia, would you like to have lunch with me away from the crowds?” The girl nodded as happily as she could from behind her dull eyes. “You heard her give her some space, she’s not going anywhere.” Forcing herself through the crowd Rin takes the girls hand leading her to the cafeteria to get food, before taking her to the roof. It seemed like no matter where they went the girl attracted followers despite how uncomfortable she seemed to be with said attention.

“So you’re American aren’t you?” She asked smiling at the girl as she bit into her sandwich.

“Yeah, at least I think I am, I was adopted really young. Then adopted again when my mother died.” She looks down sadly.

“Do you mind if I ask what you mean? You were adopted twice?” she tilts her head trying to broach the subject carefully.

The girl nods, her hair that hung past her back caught the sunlight just right as she did so making it have this heavenly sheen, Rin chastised herself for letting her thoughts wander.

“When I was really young my birth parents adopted me out to my mother Maggie Edelfelt.” Rin felt her back suddenly go rigid, Edefelt there was no way she meant that Maggie Edelfelt.

The girl was looking at her strangely as if she had something on her face. “Um…say did you mother mention someone named Luvia?”

“Yeah.. She’s my aunt or something. We never talked to the rest of the family though.” Crap there were very strong odds this girl was a mage, crap crap crap but no one heard from Magdalene Edelfelt since she vanished after the third grail war. Wait the older sister fled Japan in the 30’s the younger one was defeated and disappeared around the same time, that means..

“Virginia how old was your mother…”

“Mid 70’s” CRAP

“Did she ever mention the name Tohsaka?”

“Yes, she said someone with that name did something bad to her family. But didn’t go into it, I was only ten when she died.” CRAP CRAP

“How did she die if you don’t mind my asking?” she saw the girls head drop tears forming in her eyes. On no please don’t cry no.. Great you made one of the possible heirs to the Edelfelts cry.

“Mean men killed her” the tone in her voice became much more childish as the girl hugged her knees to her chest. Placing her own lunch down Rin got up and sat next to the girl, pulling her into a warm sisterly hug. She held her close to her chest rubbing her hand along the girls back as she let the tears flow out.

“Hey it’s okay, I’m really sorry for prying. In fairness I was caught off guard when you said that name… look my full name is Rin Tohsaka I never understood the rivalry between our families. Can we just be friends?” she asks softly in her ear while stroking her hair. With a sniffle the girl nods into the Japanese girls shoulder even sitting down she was dwarfed by this woman.

After several more minutes of crying Virginia told the abridged version of how she got adopted the second time, leaving out the whole experimental test subject for seven years part, Referring to Medea by a false name Mr Kuzuki had given her to use. Rin knew she was hiding something, the way she talked about her current parents there was no reaction for someone who lived with them for seven years, but the young Tohsaka said nothing about it.

As they were getting ready to head back Rin stopped spinning on heel with a smile. “Why don’t you come by my house later we can study together?” Virgina’s face cracked into a soft smile, watching the girl in twin tails trying desperately to be her friend. She simply nodded hoping this person wasn’t going to use her again either.

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The school day went by without to think about, Rin waited by the school gate she had ran ahead when Virginia got held back for a meeting in the Faculty room. She saw her sister and Shirou walking out of the gate heading towards his house like usual she couldn’t help but envy her at times. Honestly the rumor around the school was that they were dating, but while that hopeless Shirou would say they weren’t with how protective he was of her, and them going to his house every day it looked a lot like they were even if they didn’t admit it. She let out a sigh as she heard footsteps coming towards her, looking at Virginia who nervously looked at her flinching slightly as Rin walked towards her “S..sorry for keeping you waiting.” Now she was convinced something happened to this girl her muscle memory is that of an abuse victim.

They walked quietly for the most part, no matter what she asked Virginia still seemed nervous about having a conversation, she tried to think of something that would help calm the girl down, or at least make her comfortable…well her idea wasn’t bad but it was a bit cliche. “Hey Virginia you hungry?” she turned her head sideways walking ahead of the girl before turning around walking backwards while looking at her.

“Y..eah a little” the girl looked down at her hesitantly as if trying to find if she crossed a line.

“There is a burger joint nearby want to stop by? My treat” she beamed up at her with the best smile she could muster that didn’t give away how worried she was beneath it.

She nodded smiling weakly as she followed the girl with cute pigtails to the Americana burger joint, it was weird experiencing other cultures attempt at your own. Granted by this point she barely remembered the U.S. She looked up at the menu curiously while she was taught a few spoken languages by Maggie she hadn’t actually learned to read them, so it was unnerving to know how to get from a language forcefully shoved into her head by a witch from the age of gods.

She decided to go with a bacon cheeseburger meal, she sat in a booth after they ordered waiting for their food as Rin sat across from her. They looked at each other awkwardly for a bit before Rin took one of her olive skinned hands “Hey I know something happened in your past, just listen nothing bad will happen to you now, I promise. As their fingers touched she blushed harder nodding slowly but not pulling her hand back, well until they heard the cough of the server. Pulling their hands back both laughed nervously taking their food and drinks. “Why didn’t the Edelfelts take you in if you were adopted by them?”

“I didn’t have a choice.” Was all she replied taking a huge bite out of the burger like she hadn’t eaten in days. That concerned Rin more, but the dull eyes from before had the slightest twinkle in them now.

“I could contact them if you liked but it might be hard to convince them if they didn’t know about you.”

“I..I’d like that” she whispers softly, taking another large bite at least the girl was opening up.

“Did they know about you?”

“Maggie mentioned me in a letter I think I remember hearing her write a lot on a weird device with a gem and arm.”

“Did you ever have the Last name?”

“No..well briefly but they might think I’m dead…”

“Did she give you something that would be definitive proof?” the girl nodded she closed her eyes handing Rin her glasses, which had the Edelfelt family seal on them. As she was about to hand them back Rin realized the glasses were enchanted with some sort of seal, seeing as Virginia had started eating now with her eyes closed she had an idea of what but no plans on pushing it. Handing them back she saw the girl open her beautiful eyes again once the glasses were affixed to her face. Thinking deeply that kind of artifact would be proof enough hopefully but the question is would they even listen to her. Pulling her books out they started studying as they ate, occasionally stopping to answer or ask questions. Rin being cheeky and wanting to look smart pulled out a pair of useless glasses and put them on while instructing, this act got a mild glare of both annoyance and amusement.

They eventually did make it to Rin’s house as they continued the lessons till it got dark out, which she heard a knock on the door, Mr Kuzuki was outside with what she imagined was a car borrowed from Ryuudo temple. With a hug goodbye Rin watched the pair leave, deciding to send a message to that annoying rich bitch Luvia about Virginia

_“Hey so you know that long lost Family Member Magdalene Edelfelt? Well a girl showed up at my school claiming her be her adopted child. Virginia Edelfelt, Said she was there when Magdalene was murdered. Her enchanted glasses bear your family Seal. She possibly has Mystic eyes. I’m relaying this message at her request, would you be willing to send someone, To confirm if this girl is one of your clan?”_

Placing it on her magical fax machine as Kotomine called it she went back to the office to continue working on her father's coded will. She finally started making some progress on it but it was still frustrating to no End how insanely complicated this will was. As she decided to call it quits for the night to get some sleep she heard her magical fax machine go off. Cutting the page free she read it out loud.

_“Rin Tohsaka, we are aware of Magdalene’s adoption of a child, who to our knowledge was never given a magical crest, we also are skeptical of this claim as the girl was declared dead when we searched the remains of their home. However as the lack of body for the child, we are willing to send out a Representative to see the girl as soon as we can arrange the time, however we also want to warn you. If this is Virginia do not let her take the glasses off. We found out recently the last person who saw the pair alive, Atrum Galliasta was found dead, his workshop burned to the ground his slaves set free. It is because of this investigation, and Luvia’s current job with Lord El-Melloi II that we cannot send out a Representative right this moment. Good day Ms Tohsaka”_ Reading it over again it was curt but more civil than she expected, Letting out a sigh she decided to show it to Virginia tomorrow.

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As Virginia returned to the shared room, she and her guardians shared she was pulled into a hug by Medea, who held her close to her. “So how was your day? Souichirou-sama tells me that you are quite popular.” She smiles happily booping the girl on the nose, before handing her another dress, this one simple in design and white but made from very fine materials, with a large purple sash like ribbon tied around the middle. Quickly changing out of her school uniform Virginia relays the days events even about Rin’s questions about Maggie.

“Each morning you are going to wake up early, and we both are going to train you. With the grail war coming up, and that monster who kidnapped you. I want to make sure you are protected Virginia” the words of concern that left the witches mouth confused her as she wasn’t used to people caring about her but she nodded, hugging both of them before going to bed.

The next two months go by like a clock work, each morning she practices old magic with Medea, then spends an hour Sparring with Kuzuki, she goes to school meeting up with Rin for lunch, then going back to her house at night to study. Once she gets home Medea’s found either a new dress or something about make up she wants to teach her. By the the beginning of her third month at school a trio of girls from their class had given into their curiosity.

The trio looked liked they belonged in a cartoon or something, the tallest had slightly darker skin more on par with Virginia’s or a person who tans too much with short dark brown hair, the middle one wore glasses and had long silver hair she seemed annoyed to even be there, and finally the smallest one with long sandy brown hair. She seemed exceptionally mousy so it caught Virginia off guard while mid bite that the smallest talked first.

“U..um T..Tohsaka can we eat with you two?”

“Saegusa-san thats really up to Virginia here.” The girl with magnificent twin tails smiled politely motioning towards the socially awkward American woman, who was still mid bite in her sandwich. “Virginia this is Saegusa Yukika.” She then motions to the tall one “this is Makidera” then finally to the silver haired one “and thats Himuro-san”

Looking up at the trio she tilted her head, slightly finally finishing her bite and chewing her BLT slowly. “Told you she was gonna say that Yukiki, Tohsaka is in L..o..v..e.” The girls tone while teasingly mocking made the prism eyed girl blink from behind her glasses her face turning a soft shade of red.

“Not everyone is a romantic idiot like you Maki” That was the line that did it, everyones attention turned to the girl who had mustard on her face, that just started laughing in an angelic but heart warming matter. It honestly caught the twin tailed girl off guard, Rin was pretty much the only person she spent time around besides her parents and even Rin never heard her laugh like that before. If she had to say anything it would be how nice it was that she could finally laugh. She had seemed more disappointed with the Edelfelts response but understood it, however the smile and laughter she currently had helped put her worried friend at ease.

Blushing when she realized they were all staring at her she looked down nervously before nodding, scooting closer towards Rin till their hips were touching. “Wait…Tohsaka-san.. Are you two actually dating?” Saegusa stammered out nervously looking at the pair, having quickly covered her face with her hands.

Rin looks between the trio and her friend, thinking very carefully about her next sentence, while normally she’d dismiss it in what some called a Tsundere manner, this girl was opening up for the first time and probably had very little social experience she didn’t want to scare her.. But she couldn’t just let them know she liked both guys and girls..GAH. As she screams internally her awkward smile twitching on her face the next line caught her off guard.

“Like..Romeo and Juliet?” the mousy girl started to blush deeper as Maki gave Rin and Virginia a shit eating grin and massive thumbs up. Rin knew what she meant though two clans who didn’t get along having children who date. “I wouldn’t..mind..but… that's up to R..in” her voice soft and stammering nervously but the message was clear she was interested, this left the talented Magus conflicted. First she had the girls trust somewhat and a relationship could harm that, second she was an Edelfelt and how would the person coming to confirm she’s alive in the future react to them dating its very much a Montague versus Capulet situation, third Virginia was leaving it up to her rather than answering meaning she wasn’t sure how Rin felt.

She felt all their eyes on her and the heat rose to her face, grabbing one of her twin tails she began twirling it around her finger nervously. “What’s with this line of questions?” she glared at the trio.

“You nabbed her on the first day, and never let anyone approach her, then you two walk home each night together to your house Rin” Maki proclaims with an even wider smile much to Rin’s annoyance, the only way they’d know she was going to her house is if one of them stalked her.

“Maki the only way you’d know that is if you followed us” her voice held a subtle but clear anger behind it, as she calmly stood up walking towards the trio before pulling the short haired woman into a head lock. “What have I told you about being creepy” her knuckle starts twisting on the darker womans scalp causing her to plead out for mercy.

“I’m sorry! I’m Sorry! Please Stop Tohsaka!” she cried out trying desperately to pull her head free from the smaller woman’s grip. She held on for a bit longer grinding her knuckle slightly harder before letting go with a huff. “Tohsaka is scary when upset…” she whines sitting down and finally starting on her food.

“Well you did spy on her and her girlfriend like a creep Maki” Himuro spoke up nonchalantly as she continued eating. Seemingly ignoring Rin’s annoyed reaction and their mousy friends squees of embarrassment.

The rest of the lunch was just filled with awkward silence as they waited on the school bell to ring, as they went into the door Virginia pulled Rin aside and awkwardly hugged her before running off to class. Leaving the twin tailed Magus who prided herself as always being the smartest and most clever utterly confused and conflicted in her emotions. “That's up to Rin” the reply from before echoed in her head again. Internally screaming she runs after them to make sure she isn’t late from class, trying desperately to not think of how hot her face was at the moment.

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**A week before the 5th grail war.**

That night inside the church, the overseer, who gravely wounded Bazett Fraga McRemitz, and took her Lancer smiles at the report he received Berseker had been summoned a month ago, that was three servants down, hopefully his protege Tohsaka would get her act together and summon soon as well. He had no qualms about taking out the representative from the Mages association, she was a fool to let her guard down. His mouth twisted into a wicked grin patiently waiting for the grail war to begin, his biggest worry was the who would get the Saber, Archer and Rider classes. His eyes turned to the smug looking blond in the pews who seemed over all very bored.

However he was still wondering if the Einzbern master was that Doll or another Assassin? He hoped it would be another assassin like last war.

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**The day before the Start of Fifth Holy Grail War**

She sat on Casters lap as the woman happily brushed her hair humming a Grecian melody, while braiding the luscious and significantly thick hair into manageable plait. This was a reoccurring activity each morning for the last couple of weeks not that it bothered her, Virginia had been getting annoyed with how long her hair was getting and how it was growing much faster than it used to, having gone from her hips to her knees in only the short time they’ve been together. Ever since Mr Kazuki and Caster had found out that Rin had asked Virginia on a date the old witch had taken her duties as an adoptive mother very seriously. Granted their date wasn’t until tonight but she wasn’t going to complain since the brushing felt really nice and Medea really seemed to enjoy it. She was more shocked though when last week Mr Kuzuki had taken their photo while this ritual was going on, today he surprised her again having folded up a very beautiful teal dress with red sash, and a pair of nice looking loafers in a spare bag for her. Never cracking a smile but he seemed happy that his ‘adoptive’ daughter was going on her first date. On the other hand Virginia was super nervous it felt weird Rin and her had grown close over the last couple months but something this forward caught her off guard and while she was somewhat excited that lingering fear of being hurt still clung to her wounded heart.

“Now little one let me see your hands.” Holding them out to her she watches the woman who treated her like her daughter trace something onto her hands as she pulls back there is a faint glow in them. She flexed them they felt stronger and sturdier than before, tilting her head out of curiosity the robed woman proceeded to do the same to her feet, then her torso. “Reinforcement magic both you and Souichiro-sama have it now, since the grail war is starting soon its only right I protect my husband and child isn’t it?” her warm smile made the poor girl drop her head blushing slightly feeling ashamed for ever doubting her.

“Thank you mother” she cried out slightly pulling the servant into a tight hug, they were going to win if she had anything to say about it. Hearing the knock on the door she pokes her head out seeing Issei smiling, all dressed in his uniform, they had gotten in the habit of walking to school together in the morning since usually Mr Kuzuki left before they did. Fixing the disjointed buttons of her blouse she grabbed both bags and quickly ran out to meet him.

As they arrived at the school they parted ways as she had recently joined the Archery club to try and open up more, it also helped that Rin’s friend Ayako Mitsuzuri had pestered her to join especially after she found out the pair were spending so much time together. It was through the club she met another girl with similarly unnatural hair color Sakura Matou, and by extension Matou’s crush Shirou Emiya the schools go to handyman at least according to Issei. Having changed she got into position to start practicing when she felt a pair of hands grab her chest from behind an action that made the woman who currently dwarfed most of the students leap at least a foot off the ground. “So jumpy and here I thought Rin was going to beat me with a man, but she got such an exotic beauty.” Struggling to catch her breath she spun on her foot staring into the club captains eyes.

“Wait what?!” her eyes only then noticed a very red, very embarrassed Rin trying to hide her face behind her hands at school an hour earlier than usual.

Ayako was now much closer than Virginia was in anyway comfortable with when she was pulled down with an arm around her shoulder. “I admit I’m jealous if Rin’s that smitten with you that she’s taking the initiative she must really care about you. Take care of her okay?” now she was blushing her eyes meeting the brunettes eyes.

“Y..yes captain.” Was all she could manage before she heard the her annoyed date groan out in annoyance.

“Ayako leave her alone.” Rin had finally entered and pulled the captain off the poor girl who was so red at this point she was practically purple. Taking her cue she backed off walking over to grab a bow and start her practice, Virginia not wasting the moment pulled her in to a breath stealing hug causing the twin tailed genius to tap out gasping for air.

“So why are you here so early Rin?”

“My clocks for some reason are an hour early today.”

“They were fine last night?” She wished she hadn’t said that line since Ayako and Sakura were now staring at the both of them, while Sakura covered her lips slightly to hid her surprise the ever unsubtle club Captain was making a woot motion with her arms causing the pair to roll their eyes.

“She didn’t mean it like that!” and the tsundere finally showed herself as she huffed arms crossed slightly blush on her face while looking away. “Look I’m here now, can I just watch your practice” she didn’t miss Ayako’s glare as no one had ever been able to get Rin to stay and watch since Shirou quit the club. Feeling like it was better than pushing the issue she nodded stepping back and taking her place, holding up her bow she followed the steps she was taught repeatedly closing out her emotions, focusing on her target and letting go of her nervousness her shot flew true to its target. Pulling back her second shot then her third each hit the center with a precision she was quiet sure where it came from, however as she went to pull her fourth shot back she heard that lecherous bastards voice.

“Oh Tohsaka finally came to watch the best shot in the club?” the slime on his words stired an emotion in the girl, one she wasn’t aware she had, her purple and brown hair slithered around her neck, it was subtle but it one paid close attention they would have noticed her hair moving on its own. He was in her face, Rin’s face, her girlfriends face, his eyes were one her, he was mentally undressing her, the rage inside of her was so great it had caused Sakura and Ayako to stop and look at her.

“Yes I did, and she’s currently glaring at you” Rin’s voice was calm but bitter, the words like swords had dealt a blow to his ego he wasn’t about to let go. He reached forward to grab her shoulder, and in an instant she wasn't aware of how she did it, but the angry American was behind him wrenching his arm into his back with a strength she didn’t know she had.

“Shinji!” Ayako’s words hid an anger built upon by frustration of constantly having to rein him in, all he did was cause trouble and act like a playboy but everyone could see his jealousy and lusting after Rin, it didn’t help that any slight made him worse. By all logic she should have thrown him out of the club she didn’t care that he was Sakura’s brother at this point she wanted him gone, and it was close.

Having released him she spent long enough to get changed before storming out of the club room, her hair while no longer moving was still a mess and her temper had yet to ease, she simply stood outside holding the soft hands of her partner who was equal parts annoyed and relieved. “You didn’t need to do that..but I appreciated it.” She looks up into Virginia’s eyes with a smile “say can I call you Ginny?”

“Su..re” she blushes nervously as she’s suddenly kissed by the perfect student, the moment however is ruined by a very furious Shinji who stares at them stunned, saying nothing as Rin pulls the girl with dual colored hair into the main building and towards their class.

Later that night as they returned from the movie about gangsters who took cooking pastries way too seriously called the Cake Knight rises, Rin stopped at the mid way point to her house, looking sadly upon Virgina “Sorry this is as far as we can go tonight.I have to take care of somethings tonight” the defeated sigh she lets out makes it clear she wishes she could tag along but can’t allow it.

**That Night**

Under the Matou Manor, Sakura stood before a circle carved into the ground using blood and various worms, beside her stood her lecherous brother, and her abusive grandfather. Focusing her mana her hand above the circle she calls out “Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Let each be turned over five times, simply breaking asunder the fulfilled time. Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation. Let my great master Schweinorg be the ancestor. Raise a wall, against the wind that shall fall. Close the four cardinal gates. Come out from the crown. Rotate the three-branched road reaching the Kingdom.”

Opening her eyes her stance firm her determination focused “I shall declare here. Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be with your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. If you will submit to this will and this reason…… then answer! An oath shall be sworn here! I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell! From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, Protector of the Balance!” The stone snake on the alter before them shook violently as wind swept through the motionless chamber, the circle illuminating the room with a shine on par with a search light, the blinding nature died down and before them stood the Monster of legend, The cursed mortal who offended Athena, Medusa youngest sister of the Gorgons.

“I Rider answer your summons Master” The large Greek woman bowed before her, Sakura barely had time to process she recognized this woman, when Shinji pushed her out of the way. The servants reaction was swift the sniveling coward barely had a yelp out before he was hoisted up by the larger woman. His eyes widened this felt awfully familiar, her height, her hair, that strength. He wanted to grin, revenge was going to be sweet.

At the same time on the other side of town screams filled the air of Ryuudou temple it had barely broken two in the morning when Virginia had collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony clutching her the surgical scar on her neck. Not risking being discovered Caster flew into the air using her cloak and proceeded to force the temple to take a nice enchanted nap, as her lover grabbed the screaming woman. “Caster what is going on?” he stared at her as she pulled out a small dagger “Those scars we need to cut them open now and get what that fool of a Magus put inside of her out.”

Nodding Kuzuki took the small knife and slit the scar open his eyes widening slightly at what he saw, golden scales woven into her muscles, nerves, and magical circuits. Casters face contorted in horror, they couldn’t remove it not without severely crippling the girl, five scars in total five batches of golden scales implanted inside of her reacting to a servant summoning somewhere in town. “That Fool! he wanted a weapon so badly he warped an innocent girl into this” Summoning her staff she braced herself, “Hold her still I’m going to try and suppress these growths.” The light around the trio grew brighter, runes forming on the ground and slithering up to each of the scars wrapping around them like a snake climbing a tree, the problem however was each inch the runes gained they got almost as much resistance from the girls body resisting them.

“Caster by order of command seal I order you to suppress the growths!” she felt her power increase tenfold from the order enough to at least temporarily over ride the girls magical resistance. Each scar became hidden beneath a thick black horizontal line like tattoo. Her screams and struggles died down as she passed out at their feet, Medea’s worried eyes just fell upon Virginia her hopes to keep her out of the war were just thwarted, those eyes mean odds are she’s related to Medusa however for her to be reacting like that whatever those scales are from must of been summoned and tried to turn her into a demi-servant.

Around the town similar circles began to form and activate the war was starting and much to the fear of Rin, and the Princess of Colchis, Virginia was going to be dragged into it whether she wanted it or not. **The 5th and hopefully Final Holy grail war had begun.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I promise I will not make a habit of Rewriting chapters I post, I just realized I made my own plot hole very quickly, so I rewrote Chap one. Chapters 2 and 3 will be re-released soon I apologize again.
> 
> So Clarification, the reason the Edelfelts were included as adoptive parents was I realized there is no way the Mages association would some how miss a demi-god being born or something close to it. Especially after petrifying a doctor at birth. Using Fate Kalied as a reference Luvia and in a way her family seem willing to Adopt strangers and with one of sisters vanishing after the 3rd war and being in her 70's it would make sense she'd want an heir for her crest since they can have two. There is more to this but you will need to read to find out.
> 
> Finally two things why Medea was summoned 4 months before the war, keep reading and find out.


	2. Suspicions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coincidence is not something Rin Tohsaka believes in, and too much of it is enough to make anyone suspicious.

**Day 1 Holy Grail War.**

Panic filled her stomach as she walked quickly through the school, trying to not draw attention as she looked for Virginia, she had skipped class, she wasn’t at Archery club and it was time for lunch, yet she wasn’t there. Her face filling with worry, her steps towards the faculty room echoing along with the whispers and rumors of why little miss perfect was in such a mood. She didn’t care what others thought, she wanted to know where Virginia was. Wrenching the door open the smell of various lunches filled her nose, as eyes fell on her. Moving like the woman with purpose she was, it didn’t take long for her to reach Mr Kuzuki’s desk his unflinching golem like face showed nothing as their eyes met.

“Miss Tohsaka how may I help you? Shouldn’t you be at lunch?”

“Yeah except it seems Virginia is missing, is everything alright?”

“Yes she’s sick, started having a fever last night her mother is looking after her.”

Her face hardens at his words, something felt off, it was way too convenient that the day of the grail war she suddenly gets sick especially with her connection to the Edelfelts and those eyes of hers, there was also the bounded field around the school, this was way too suspicious. With an annoyed huff she nods while Rin wanted to check on Virginia she knew what tonight was and that she couldn’t waste time. “Will she be by tomorrow”

“If she is well enough, I appreciate you concern for my daughter Ms Tohsaka.” His words made it clear he wasn’t going to let her continue this line of questions.

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“Archer there is another one over here!” Rin’s voice called out as her fingers quickly worked trying to undo ritual ward she’d found earlier during lunch, that made seven she’d found so far. Whoever made this bounded field made it impossible to dispel only weaken so it took longer to activate. She stared at it intensely the writing was old, filled with symbols she’d never seen before but the part that worried her were the snakes in the middle branching out from a filled circle. This circle seemed to be the activation point so if she could find the Mage or Servant who made it and keep them from this spot they most likely couldn’t activate the field, that was a relief at least her goal after all was to keep innocents out of harms way.

“Archer you can sense what type of Field this is can’t you? When activated it would liquefy those inside of it absorbing their souls as fuel. Its a blood fort, and for who would want such a thing I can only assume its a Servant. Tell me would you do such a thing?”

_“You Summarize correctly, like how your kind eats meat for nourishment a servant partakes on spirits and souls for nourishment. As you guessed correctly the more they take in the greater their prana stores are.”_

Hand on her hip “Meaning your kind aren't satisfied with the Prana your master supplies?”

_“Its not that we aren’t satisfied, its that more is always better. To absorb energy from nearby humans is always a stratagem for masters. In that sense this bounded field is quite effective.”_

Irritation flooded her at his words even if she couldn’t hear him she turns on heel gripping her side “I feel aggravated, never mention that again Archer”

_“I agree, I would never do something like this”_

Letting out a sigh of relief she knelt before the circle again “Good, lets erase this circle, while I can’t dispel it I can throw a wrench into their plans”

“What you’re going to erase it what a waste” the voice came from behind them it had an amused boredom to it.

Turning around her eyes fell on a man with blue hair tied into a small ponytail that looked more like it belonged in star wars than in the real world. His body was in some kind of bodysuit like armor that matched his eyes, and hair, he had a blood red spear with jagged edges over his shoulders both arms resting on it.

“Was this your handy work?”

“NOPE” his grin grew wider watching her “Stooping to dirty tricks is the role of the master” Lowering his spear he started to stand “The role of my kind is to fight when told” His smirk returned “Isn’t that right my invisible buddy?”

Her eyes widened “you can see Archer then that makes you a servant!?”

Finally at his feet his smirk turned to a maddened smile of someone who wanted a fight “And by that can I assume you are my enemy?”

_SHIT!_ Fences in every direction how was she going to get out of here, getting killed on the first night that would be humiliating. _Fences on four sides we are at a severe disadvantage here._

“Seems you aren’t completely dumb you have the gist of things. Man I really shouldn’t have revealed myself, should have just killed you before you noticed me. But then thats not my style” his spear started glowing, his eyes locked on Rin.

On instinct her body ran heading straight for the stairs narrowly dodging the first strike, she ducked to the right as the next one missed her._ I need to move faster or he’s going to kill me! Es ist groß, Es ist klein_ Her legs magical circuits lit up as power filled her, _vox gott es atlas_ Kicking off of the roof access the third strike missing her but slicing through her skirt, grabbing the fence to throw herself over. Plummeting in free fall “Archer take care of the landing!” Pulling herself into a ball her caught her touching down briefly before taking off in another leap before setting her down to run slightly further burning off their momentum. No sooner had she stopped than the servant was back aiming for her neck, the clash of metal caused her to spin on heel gasping for air.

Archer appeared before her a pair of swords in his hands as the dark skinned servant glared at the one who had the audacity to attack his master. “Draw your bow Archer, It’s okay I’ll wait” The spear weilding servant mocked him.

“Archer you will get no help from me, show me what you can do” He smirked at her, his arrogence still annoyed her but she stood by watching the pairs weapons clash, Archer was strong but even to her an inexperienced master she knew he was purposely creating openings to know where to defend. Her Servant was being pushed back this did not bode well for her.

A loud crash came from behind them she whipped her head around dread filling her, someone was still here. CRAP eliminating witness’s is mandatory that was the whole reason she waited for the school to be empty. By the time her eyes turned back Lancer had taken off after the noise.

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Hidden beneath her mothers magic she watched as the Servant called Lancer murdered Shirou Emiya. Rin and Sakura always were watching him when he went by, she felt bad for him. But she was told to only observe and currently she wasn’t skilled enough in magic to revive someone. It caught her by surprise though to see Rin and her Servant kneeling next to the body, using some form of gemstone to try and save him. Her chest panged slightly, her Rin was healing that boy.. Was this jealousy? He was normal after all not a freak like her, the loathing pissed her off. Against her better judgment she followed the pair till they were in front of Rin’s house however no sooner were they on her street that she heard his voice “Isn’t it about time you revealed yourself?” Her servant had turned towards where she was cloaked shit shit shit how was I so stupid Mother warned me about this! Internally screaming as her spell deactivated just as Rin turned around.

“V..Virginia!? You’re a master?!” the betrayal in Rin’s voice hurt her, pangs of guilt forming as her long kneel length purple hair materialized, followed by her leather armor, Seal like Tattoos, and finally the rest of her body.

“She’s an Servant, Master” His words bit her hard but she shook her head in defiance.

“I’m neither, I was neither Summoned, nor a summoner.” Her eyes met Rin’s from behind her glasses, the accusation hurt, but considering the things sealed inside her body she wasn’t surprised she registered as a servant.

“Virginia are you friend or foe?” The bitterness in her words made Virginia want to cry. Why was Rin treating her like this, she hadn’t attacked either yet they both treated her with suspicions.

“Friend, you’re girlfriend I thought” fighting back how badly she wanted to cry.

“Archer are you sure she’s a servant?”

“She reads as a very weak one, but she also reads as living.. Master what do you want to do?” he would rather keep his thoughts of killing her and being done with it to himself. However he was confused why a psuedo Servant would appear in a holy grail war.

“I’m not a servant! I’m Virginia Louise Edelfelt Kuzuki!” her anger and pain overtaking her as she slammed her fist into the tree next to her, causing it to crack vertically.

Rin’s eyes widened in shock as Archer drew his swords both of them staring at the woman who stood before them in dark lavender leather armor like that of a thief. Their eyes staring in shock at the split tree caused by her fist??

“Virginia Archer both of you Relax!”

“Rin.. Please believe me I’m not an enemy.” Hoping her pleas would reach the confused Magus who stared at her.

The Master from the Tohsaka family looked from her servant to Archer fuming internally before she held up her hand at Virginia “Archer go look for lancers Master, I’m going to talk to Virginia here and try to figure out what is going on.”

Virginia’s face twisted to match the pain in her chest, she wished she’d been more careful but now well cat was out of the bag partially with her being involved in the war. With a heavy head she followed Rin at finger point into her house where they had spent so much time before the war together. She could feel Archer’s eyes on her before he vanished into spirit form, her eyes fell on the twin tailed girl still holding her finger focused on her head. “Rin…”

“Clothes and armor off, drop your weapons on the floor and sit in that chair.” The fear behind Rin’s eyes hurt her to see as she started undoing the straps on her leather chest protector, dropping it and the knives under her dress that she wore beneath the polished leather bracers, and grieves. Her hands quickly worked to undo the robe like dress that more normal in the BC era than modern day, kicking them all aside she sat in the chair in just her underwear and glasses looking at Rin nervously.

“Are you a Mole for the Edelfelt’s to kill off the masters of the grail war?”

“No, I haven’t had contact with the Edelfelt’s since Maggie was killed when I was ten.” Saying it caused the pain in her chest to return Maggie… her mother for all intents and purposes murdered trying to protect her.

“Yet for someone who was only recently adopted by my teacher strangely enough, some how has incantation-less magic, reads as a possible servant, and a mystic code? Do you think I’m stupid Edelfelt?”

Her heart fell into the pit of her stomach fighting back tears “I can’t explain in detail.. Please just trust me I’m not your enemy, I was simply scouting out the area when I came across the fight.”

Not taking her finger off of the girls head, she sat down on her lap straddling her pressing the finger into her head. “So you just happened to be the long lost Edelfelt Heir that was supposed to stand with Luvia, you just happened to be adopted by my teacher, just happened to show up three months before the war, and just happened to be equipped for a participant. Give me something!, Like why do you have these strange curses all over your?” Her free hand grabbed the seal on Virginia’s left arm gripping it tightly.

“I was kidnapped from Maggie.. They tried to turn me into a weapon to use in the war.. I was saved by my mother and brought here. She didn’t want me involved but whatever my kidnapper did to me it activated last night.” Her eyes pleaded with the woman trying to get her to believe her and stand down, she didn’t want to have to use her eyes, not on Rin.

Rin’s eyes widened her finger retracting into her hand, lightly smacking Virginia’s forehead with her fist. “I..I..Why didn’t..you tell me?”

“Tell you what that I’m a freak, I’m not even human, that I’m a monster that was modified into a weapon…” finally the words she’d been dreading ever saying came out, the only reason people were interested in her was because she was part monster. A useless demi god that can never look upon a loved one without accidentally turning them to stone, forced to live life via a blindfold or window.

“What do you mean you aren’t human?”

“I’m most likely a demi-god, my birth mother was human, but my birth father wasn’t.” Her eyes look towards Rin who was lost in thought, but the pain in her eyes was obvious from what she learned overhearing her kidnapper the Tohsaka master was murdered by his servant the previous grail war, and her guess is that was Rin father.

“For now I guess we could ally with one another” her sigh was telling Rin wasn’t cut out to be a heartless magus, not like that bastard who forced himself on her, when he wasn’t experimenting on her.

“May I put my clothing back on at least?”

Jumping up and having completely forgot that the woman beneath her was naked, the girl genius turned bright red. “Y..y.Yes”

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As he manifested back in the Tohsaka Manor Archer stared with twitching eyebrow at the scene before him, his master, the woman who in the future guided him after the war was currently straddling the taller pseudo servant woman both in their underwear, lips locked..

“Master” He paused watching the pair jump up freaking out and quickly pull a blanket over both of them.

“A.A.Ar.archer!”

“If you two are done fornicating I couldn’t locate Lancer’s master.” Walking forward ignoring the minor jealousy he felt knowing he’d never encountered this purple haired woman before he just holds out the necklace he’d carried for all those years dangling it before her.

“Oh you went back to get it for me.”

Placing it in her hands his eyes met the floor ignoring the woman beneath his master, beneath his past lover “Don’t lose it again” a beat as he fought back the pain he felt inside having carried the amulet for so long “it doesn’t suit anyone else”

Leaning back into Virginia’s hug she let out a soft yet quiet sigh. “Really.. As I thought there is no mana left”

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The amulet of her fathers, she wasted it, but what was she supposed to do break Sakura’s heart like that and let him die? No there will be other chances after all Sakura can at least be happy now that. . . Wait a minute “Hey won’t Lancers master send him back out once he finds out the witness he thought he killed survived!”

“That would be the wise thing to do master” his tone wasn’t condescending this time yet it didn’t stop the fear running through her shit shit shit shit shit she needed to get over there right now.

“Archer we need to go now! Virginia will you help us?” her words mirrored her actions she had already pulled her clothes back on luckily Virginia hadn’t needed much mana but still Lancer was giving Archer trouble before without another servant,so a mortal Demi-god would be useful plus, she was also a witness wards or no she wanted to make sure her own girlfriend wasn’t murdered. Fuck how was she this stupid, turning on heel having not received a question she saw the tall purple haired woman in her full combat gear nod at her.

“Rin we need to move now, Go with Archer I should be able to keep up after the mana boost from before!”

She didn’t need to be told twice jumping into his arms she felt them flying through the air again, looking back she saw a trail of purple hair zipping across rooftops, not at the same speed as a servant but much faster than reinforcement magic should allow at least three times what it should have allowed. While her seals were useful in keeping her side effects in check she was losing mana faster than she could regenerate it and Rin knew that as long as the grail war went on this drain would get worse.

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As they approached the larger manor like house’s gate a blur of blue and silver lunged at them. She felt Archer lunge forward but her body moved on its own. Jumping before Rin she felt a powerful sword strike collide with her bracers the rage filling her body that a servant would DARE attack Tohsaka filled her vision with a red haze all she could focus on was how much she wanted to kill this servant. Words in a language she didn’t know left her lips her knives parrying the sword, free hand following up as it slammed into the blond womans gut. “Kill her, she’s just a human!” whose voice was that, it didn’t matter they were right she needed to kill this person. “That’s your human!”

Moisture in the air whipped around her body like a small water spout pushing the invisible sword back as Rin, and the servants master both stared at her in horror. “She.Is.Mine!” practically foaming at the mouth with rage, she lunged leaping into the air aiming a downward heel kick at Sabers hands, she noticed too late it was feint and that she was wide open to the counter attack, she felt an impact in her side sending her into the grass at the side of the road.the fog of dirt and debris began to clear as she sat up and saw Archer with a sword in his side clutching it tightly. He’d kicked her out of the way?!

“Saber STOP!”

Archer leapt back next to Rin who by this point had run to Virginia side, Her servant still clutching his side. What happened to me? Why was I able to fight a servant? What happened?! Her mind was an utter mess by now as she saw their target come into view. Sabers master, the blue woman was Shirou Emiya… well shit.

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Today had been a strange series of events, first she’s nearly killed by a Lancer then her girlfriend turns out to be some kind of weird Psuedo servant, and finally Shirou Emiya turns out to not only be a magus but the master of Saber. Normally she’d be mad but at this point she was just exhausted as they sat in his living room around his table. The servant she wanted was summoned by a complete novice, her servant meanwhile was wounded, and her girlfriend fought on par with a berserker and almost died.

“I’ve explained it twice now Emiya-kun, what do you still not understand?”

“How about for starters why do you have two servants?”

The slam on the table was all she needed to know that was the wrong question. “I’m not a fucking servant!” placing a hand on the womans shoulder she felt her lover take a deep breath leaning over to rest her head on Rin’s shoulder.

“Shirou, Virginia is a unique circumstance, and like you was dragged into this war. Look this might be easier if we took you to the overseer to explain things.” Her patience was running thin how was he even a master, the Emiya crest was sealed and he was adopted it wasn’t like the Edelfelts or the Matou’s who could pass magic crests to non blood members.

“The overseer?”

“Yes the man at the church who is overseeing the war.” She could feel her groups agitation growing Emiya really was helpless with this. Slowly getting to her feet she heard Saber finally speak up.

“Rin, if she isn’t a servant how did she push me back like she did?”

“I don’t know Saber, but odds are its Shirou’s sub par or none existent magical training.”

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What was going on today, First Sakura acted weird this morning dropping a plate which was unlike her as she was never really clumsy, then her request he comes straight home which he kind of wished he had, there was also that weird girl the other day saying he should ‘summon his servant soon or he will die’. There was also the fact his crush turned about to be a lesbian and was sitting in his living room with their classmate who’s a servant but not a servant, and his crush has her own servant. How about the woman who appeared out of thin air using the name Saber sitting next to him or the irritating man in red who Rin summoned, or I don’t know the whole fact he is suddenly in a battle royal too the death with a bunch of other mages and servants over a magical cup. The thought of the sheer video game logic he’d expect from some silly Eroge game he found himself in made him want to laugh from the absurdity to it all.

Yet he went along with it and met with this man, found out he was a former master, found out that the previous war led to the hell he witnessed, the pain, the burning, the endless death was caused by the grail it pissed him off. So when asked such a stupid question of his answer of course it was going to be “I’ll fight.”  
  
Yet that was easier said than done as he and Rin stepped outside the church the creepy girl who warned him before was there again.  
  
“Good evening big brother, my name is Illyasviel von Einzbern.” What was she going on about big brother? Saber had her arm up, Virginia mirroring Saber but in front of Rin. The girl raise her hand strings attached to them pulled the gate shut behind them.

“Thank you for being so hospitable” his eyes shifted to Rin’s she was clearly scared right now, yet like she always did refusing to show it.

“Won’t you die now?” the pale albino girl calling herself Illyasviel unnerved him with how cheerfully she said that, yet he could feel his bladder weaken seeing the giant behind her. “Kill them Berserker”

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That feeling returned as Berserker appeared his roar ignites that power from before her mind filled with hate, it was a man who wore her hair as an artifact, how could anyone insult her like that, that piece of Argonaut garbage was going to die! Moving in almost perfect mirrored sync with Saber, when one went left the other went right, each trying to take advantage of the openings the other created. Yet she was supposed to be more powerful than this her body was sluggish her mana constantly draining she needed to end this fast.

“Where is Archer.” Rin’s voice was faint barely registering when Illyia’s laugh pushed her over the edge.  
  
“She regenerates Kill her quickly then rip their heads off and violate their bodies” her right arm felt as if a weight had been lifted from it, the spell binding her arms scar broke, mana rushing to it. The pain, oh god the pain filling her nervous system her attacks stopped barely able to concentrate as all she could do was scream.

Why was this happening to her, why was her arm suddenly being over taken by golden scales and talons, why was she constantly being used by people. Why wasn’t she simply allowed to exist and be her own person!? Crap the pain had distracted her long enough to Berserker to kick her, she was flying her body slamming into a tree she felt her spine snap as the last glimpse she saw was Shirou’s organs splattering on the sidewalk. I’m so stupid. . . I am so.. sorry Rin.

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What the hell just happened, no sooner had Berserker attacked than both Saber and Virginia were engaging him, but then something happened she’d fallen to the ground clutching her arm, which was now covered in golden scales, her fingers now talons. That unknown seal from before had vanished from her arm as if it had broken on its own, yet now laying on the bench in a broken clump was her girlfriend who’s back was definitely broken. How was she going to explain this to her family, to the Edelfelts, hell why was she so calm about this. Why wasn’t she crying, she just watched her sisters crush get eviscerated, and her own lover’s back broken yet nothing.

On the bright side Shirou seemed to be healing on his own his stomach glowing as it stitched itself back together, maybe he wasn’t a failure if he knew that level of healing magic. How was she going to heal Virginia… could she even heal her? She was a psuedo servant would giving her mana be enough?

“It’s healed?”

“Master are you alright?”

Her head turned towards a very relieved Saber as Emiya sat up examining his rather nicely defined stomach muscles. “Tohsaka thank you?”

“That wasn’t me, you did that or your connection to Saber did.” She was irritated who did he think he was a servant!? “Now lets discuss your little stunt back there. What the hell where you thinking? If you die your servant can’t keep her physical form.”

She grew more annoyed at his bashful head scratching and nervous laugh “Sorry..I just couldn’t stand there and do nothing, plus Virginia was fighting..”

“She’s not like you, you idiot!” Her smack relieved some of her stress yet his shocked look said it all, he realized he’d messed up but at this point she couldn’t handle his insistence on wanting to be a hero. “I’m leaving to heal my servant and Virginia, Tomorrow we are enemies so don’t be foolish!” jealousy really didn’t benefit her but how could anyone person be this broken that they are that stupid. GAH what was he thinking, now I need to figure out how to heal a broken spine of a demi god.

It took some effort but she finally got Vanessa back to her house and on the couch while she tried to figure out how to heal her injuries, looking through her jewels for the ones with the largest supply of mana she heard agonizing stomach churning screaming from the other room. Panic filling her she ran towards it her feet almost sliding out from under her as she turned at too sharp an angle. Archer looked down horrified at Virginia who was screaming in agony writhing in pain as if she was being electrocuted, purple electricity surging through her. Then just as quickly as it started it stopped, and before she could even assess the damage the supposedly paralyzed woman stood up on her own, injuries healed like nothing happened. Her right arm even returning to normal in a shocking twist, the seal restoring itself she really was at a loss for words as to what happened.

“Archer what just happened?”

“Master I have no idea”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as I was doing the rewrite edits for 2 I noticed Stolen dreams was going to wind up just as long as Chapter 1 and since it was already at 5k I broke it into two chapters. Stolen dreams will be in chapter 3.


	3. Mysterious Master

** The Night before **

Death, and corruption filled the air like a a septic mist it honestly made the Servants nose twist in disgust. The three before her a nervous young girl, who’s fate she heard from the the throne of hero’s a fate like hers. An old man more carcass and maggot than person, and the final one a teenage boy who stank of craven cowardice. The lingering scent of Cherry Blossom perfume on him, the stench of cortisone from the girl, it was clear to her he was a rapist. Turning her head she walked towards the boy her fingers clenched in a fist as he walked closer. His laughs, why was he laughing and daring to call her, his Servant?!   
  
“I am Rider, are you my master?” kneeling before the young girl, who’s heart beat heavily in her chest, the faint screeching of the worms inside of her, eating her slowly from within. Filling her master with arousal from their excretions, she needed to figure out how to save this girl. 

“Oi.” The insufferable boy called out she took defiant pleasure in ignoring him as she stood before her Master, her hand reached out for her shoulder, following the lovely scent of her perfume, that hung just below the vanilla scent of conditioner that was both sweet and slightly tangy to her hyper aware sense.

“Rider, I am, my name is Sakura” Her young masters voice quivered as she heard the boy approach the repugnance of irritation wafting around him. 

“OI!” he was practically shouting at this point, his volume was actually getting annoying. How could someone be this pathetic?! The air around them shifted slightly his foot twisting against trace amounts of dirt, his odor trailing from his hand. She moved quickly grabbing his wrist and wrenching it back before his blow contacted her masters head.

“If you ever even try to lay a finger on Master again I will end you.” She could feel him squirming under her blatant threat to his life. 

“Rider please…” with a sigh she released the boys wrist before turning into her spirit form.

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“Rider?” Sakura called out as she sat down on her simple western styled bed, trying to ignore the feelings of worms inside of her.

The servant materialized before her, Sakura thought with a happy smile about how beautiful her servant was, she wanted to brush her hair and decided to see what she could get way with respectfully. Patting the bed next to her she smiled as the Servant quietly sat down. “Rider may I brush your hair?”

“If you wish, yes master” The woman known as Medusa seemed confused but did not show any sign of discomfort as the thick horse haired brush slowly went to work on her long Rapunzel like lavender hair.

“You hair is so pretty Rider” she smiled as her hands ran through it, it was fascinating to her how there wasn’t a single knot or split end despite how long the hair is.  


“Thank you master, but you don’t need to do this” Sakura could feel her awkward discomfort and smiled softly.  


“You are still a woman, you need to take care of you hair” 

“But..”

“It’s okay Rider. You were a girl like me weren’t you?”

“A woman dealt a bad hand?”

“Yes” She beamed up at the taller woman.

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Pacing back and forth near the Temple Medea chewed her thumb nervously staring down at the flip phone her Master and husband had bought her. It had been three hours since she last heard from Virginia and honestly it was starting to scare her. Had she been found? Had another master hurt her? What about a Servant… wait there was a servant slowly approaching the gate. “Master a servant is approaching the gate, may I have assassin show himself?” 

_ “Have you heard back from Virginia?”  _ his mental thoughts invaded her own as her teeth dug deeper into her thumb

“No master, but this servant isn’t acting hostile. They might have her” 

_ “Do not engage I’ll approach them before they get close enough. If I need you I’ll summon you” _

“Souichirou-sama please be careful” she closed her eyes feeling out over her bounded field. “Assassin conceal your presence” 

“Yes master”  she wished he would have hidden his contempt for her command but it was way too early to reveal themselves this plan made sense. 

This felt wrong, like something all night had been bothering her and it was frankly getting irritating. Even if the girl was a demi god, she didn’t have red eyes, or a stable divine signature like one would expect with a divinity rank. She gave off a rather inconsistent signature if she was being frankly honest, sometimes she gave off a weak version of what Servants do, other times faintly like a divine human, but then there were times where she gave off a frightening level of Malevolence. What in the name of the gods did that idiot Magus do to her, what were those scales from and why was her signature so bizarre. 

_ “Caster Virginia was with them, she’s unconscious it seems that Tohsaka girl is most likely a master. I’m coming up now, be ready for Virginia.” _

Rushing back to their room she watches as her master carries their adoptive daughter in laying her down gently on the futon that made up the girls bed. “She is low on mana dangerously low, but that shouldn’t have done this.” She places her hands gently over the girls head closing her eyes she feels herself fall into her memories searching for what happened, she saw the fight against berserker, the what should have been fatal injury, felt the sudden surge of what felt like being electrocuted, finally the sudden surge of mana flowing through her repairing her injuries. Opening her eyes slowly a grim look upon her face as she stared at her master. “This is more problematic than anticipated. I think that fool of a Magus is still alive and trying to force a contract with her.”

“Is that possible Caster?”

“It shouldn’t be no I burned him to death, but considering the lengths he went to to make a tiny rock I wouldn’t be surprised if he hijacked the bodies of children as well” she struggled to keep calm “We need to figure out whats going on I will not let that bastard have her.”

“I agree, and when we find him, I will kill him” the ruthless efficiency with which he said that made her smile, she may be a treacherous witch but not to him, her family was hers and nothing not even a vengeful goddess could stop her from defending it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bit of a short one I'm reworking some of the original chapters to make it flow better, I also don't want to be pumping out 5k 10k chapters each one.


	4. Unexpected Guests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minor possible spoilers for Lord El-Melloi's Case Files.

Three torches lit up the ruins of Atrum Galliasta’s workshop, while it had been discretely hidden in Tokyo inside a skyscraper owned by a Medical company the floor it still hidden behind rather complicated magics. “Thirteenth floor, the staff are dead, Atrum Gallista is a burned corpse, and all the slaves freed with their memories erased. Look at his right hand, those burn marks are remains of command seals.” The man with long dark hair in a clean pressed suit and red scarf spoke to the pair behind him, his eyes trained on the body before him.

The blond girl in a hooded robe spoke up “He’s been dead a while, more than a month I’m guessing sir” a small cage under her cloak shook slightly but she paid it no mind.  


“You’re estimate is correct Gray, He was killed long before the war started.” Standing up he continued into the workshop examining the remains, not much was left but he did recognize what the destroyed machinery was supposed to do. A compression system and cells for sacrifices, it was designed to compress life essence into raw Mana crystals. However from the look of it not fully refined before it was destroyed. His eyes fell onto a desk that was mostly intact but covered in burn marks. 

“Lord El-Melloi II what happened to his servant?” the other blond with him called out as she pushed her ringlets out of the way. 

“From video he left, he’d summoned Medea, however it talked about how he had some sort of secret weapon he could use to make sure he won.” He palmed over the table until he found the hidden button he was looking for, the top of the desk slid aside revealing a small space just big enough for the folder and small container of golden scales it concealed. “I think we found what we are looking for.” Placing it on the table he opened the folder his eyes skimming over the theories and the artifacts he found from the Edelfelt residence in Centrailia, the girl he brought back and how the scales played into it. His eyes widening as he read his hand covering his lips to hide the shock and disgust flowing through him. “Gray, Miss Luvia we need to get to Fuyuki as soon as possible.” 

“Teacher isn’t that right in the middle of the Grail war?” 

“We need to find the Fraga McRemitz Master, this fool he has no idea what he has done.” Closing the folder he quickly puts it into his briefcase eyes glowering at the ruins around them. “Miss Edelfelt you’re family recently received a message about a lost heir turning up?”

“Yes we did, I planned on gracing them with my presence afterwords” her hands resting on her hips as she watched the low born lord stare around them his Sherlockian brain working faster than normal. While she’d seen him distressed about events in the past this look, she could only describe it as terror was new to her.

“You need to find them the moment we get to Fuyuki, I’ll drop you off but we also need to find Bazett Fraga McRemitz as quickly as possible.” 

“Lord El-Melloi II you mind telling me what is going on? It is not like you to order an Edelfelt around?” she narrowed her eyes what was in that folder that scared him so much.

“I will tell you once I’ve confirmed it but if my theory is true we need her power.” His face turned to Grey who was tucking her golden blond hair under her hood. “We may need your power, but I recommend you wear a mask while we are in Fuyuki my guess is the reason your hair changed yesterday is Artoria Pendragon might have been summoned again.” It was very unlikely but it was the only thing that made sense with why her appearance changed again. What the hell was Atrum thinking his ‘weapon’ was a person a girl he kidnapped. If Atrum did what he feared the idiot did then his entire plan relied on her ancestor not being summoned in this war. But that would mean he didn’t pay attention to the news around the world or intelligence from spies about what artifacts were collected by masters. “Gray, Miss Edelfelt we are going to be entering a war zone, we will go in during the day and hopefully like last time day time neutrality is respected. But this is a war zone, so bring any equipment you might need to defend yourself, we head out in the morning.” 

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The knock on her door at seven in the morning confused her, yet her jaw couldn’t drop any further when she opened her door in the morning. Rin Tohsaka, in her pink pajama’s had no idea how to react seeing Luvia Edelfelt standing in her doorway. “What do you want?” her usual sarcasm and contempt for Luvia’s Nouveau rich bitch behavior wasn’t in her at the moment. Luvia just answered her with a wide and contemptuously smug grin as a loud -Ahem- from behind the blond. With a Curtsy Luvia stepped out of the way as Lord El-Melloi II and his hooded apprentice who’s face was concealed behind a simple black mask approached the door, her mouth slowly dropped into a ‘huh’ expression before Lord El-Melloi II spoke up.

“Ms Tohsaka may we come in, its rather urgent we talk” 

Not sure how to reply she motions for them to come in, everyone wanted to be a student of his, and here he was standing in her doorstep. Wasn’t Luvia supposed to be coming by after the war due to them doing some kind of case together? Also why the hell was that smug rich bitch smiling like that at her? “Lord El-Melloi II, forgive me but what made you return to a war zone?” she kept her eye on his apprentice she had heard the girl hid her face from others but how low she kept her head made it all the more surreal. 

“Ms Tohsaka, you recently reported you found the missing Edelfelt child”

“Yes, She’s currently Residing with a married couple who adopted her up at Ryuudo Temple, she never went into details other than her current guardians rescued her.”   
  
He was staring at her through tented fingers, she’d only ever heard about his ability for deduction but seeing him think in person was if she had to be honest a little intimidating. “Has she been dragged into the war? And has anything out of the ordinary happened to her?”  
  
“Yes she was running around the first night in a mystic code that looked like it was pre Macedonian in design. She was able to hold her own temporarily against both a Saber and Berserker.” She could feel his eyes on her as she hesitated to say the next part.“She had abilities… like a weaker servant, and well.. She was injured by Berserker, she was trying to pull another Master out of the way of an attack and was flung into a tree, her back broke. Yet before I could heal her on the couch there…she healed after some weird purple lightning consumed her.” The hooded girl who was his apprentice took a step back, nervously something Rin had said unsettled her.

Before either could respond she felt a reinforced impact with her cheek as Rin felt herself be flung backwards over her chair into the thick carpet behind her. Her eyes landed on a very angry Luvia being restrained by Archer. “You were supposed to look after her Tohsaka! Why would you let her get involved in this Ritual!? Not only that you let her get injured!” 

“What was I supposed to do tie her up and throw her in the dungeon!? Did you forget she spent the last seven years as a prisoner for a magus? Just getting her to talk to me was difficult, yeah thats a great way to gain her trust!” She spat back both angry and equally upset.

“You could have started with putting her to sleep when you saw her in the war!” Luvia was boiling over in anger at this point. Not that she didn’t have a point, it was really dumb on Rin’s part to not try to keep her out of the war, hell she didn’t even know why she was in the war to begin with.

“Will both of you knock it off!” their squabble came to a halt as they saw the man formerly known as Waver Velvet stand up looking quite annoyed at their arguing. “If you two are done blaming one another we have work to do” It was only now that Rin noticed his apprentice had her hand resting on something under her cloak. “Rin since we are not participants in this war, as much as I want to be, unless something major comes up we cannot interfere, so I ask that you bring the Edelfelt Girl here, on the way back from school. This would raise the least suspicions especially if she is working with a master.”

“I’ll get her here one way or another.” She nodded as Archer released Luvia returning to spirit form, the young apprentice relaxing her stance as well. Running upstairs she quickly pulled on her uniform making sure to stuff a few back up jewels into her bag as well. “Archer find a location you can watch both the house and still see me.” She called out from in her room as she finished getting ready to head to school.

_ “A wise plan master.” _ She felt him take off even in spirit form she could sense when he was around as she approached the door to leave she was a bit surprised to see Luvia following her out. 

“What are you doing Luvia?” she gave a small glare.

“What I want.”

“Are you not aware people might try to kill you?” her glare intensified she hated rich people for this exact reason, they don’t give a rats ass for what anyone else says.

“Yes, I’m still coming along, get over it Tohsaka or are you worried all the boys will be looking at me?”

Rin just starts walking face red with irritation as she just mutters “Like I care”

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No matter how much her mother tried that night nothing could cut her hair or change its color back to normal, the best they managed was to braid it into a very tight plait so that it could mostly be kept under control. Virginia was getting tired of her hair it was too long and she couldn’t forget the pain from last night, nor the rage she had no idea what was going on but her mother had told her that her spiritual core was still fluctuating and even the Legendary Witch Medea had no clue why. Letting out a deep sigh she slowly trudged towards the school gate when a familiar twin tailed girl in a red coat came running towards her. “Rin.” She smiled softly pulling the girl into a hug.

“So any chance you’d be willing to come to my house tonight, its kinda important” 

Walking with her arm around Rin’s waist she looked at her “important how? I’m not a master” she was honestly scared of a repeat of last night and losing control of herself.

Rin quickly glanced around before pulling her into a closet “As you’re inspector is here” it took her by surprise to hear that specific phrasing but if the Edelfelt inspector was here it meant her time with mother was going to end. While it had only been a few month the prospect of leaving Mr Kuzuki and Medea made her chest ache she could talk to them though. “Lets go talk to them after school” Before Rin even finished the sentence a loud posh -Ahem- alerted them to a Blond woman roughly Virginia’s height in a very rich girl outfit of blue silk and black mesh, her hair swept back in large ringlets. 

“Every lady should know” The woman started Virginia knew the next part it was something Maggie had taught her.

“About Catch-as-catch-can” She finished with a smile Rin’s eye twitching at how dumb the statement was. “Being cheap is an insult to the Edelfelt name.”

“I see so Magdalene taught you well. You’re hair used to be dark brown did it not?” Luvia pulled a small photo from her purse staring at it as she looked at the woman. Virginia felt the eyes on her as the Mage tried to decipher if she was real or not. “Show me your arm”

Doing as she was told the rich woman examined the spot Maggie had been prepping to transplant a crest on to, only a tiny piece of the crest had been moved over before her death but that should verify her identity. As this happened Rin quickly placed some gems on the ground the world around them freezing as they entered a warded space that hid them from the school. 

“Sister…my crest was never implanted, only a small portion was ever put in before Maggie died.” She looked at the blond nervously as the woman inspected the crest site, holding her own arm near it, Luvia’s crest reacting with the small fragment Virginia had.

“While your identity and appearance could have been magic, the phrase, and the crest location plus small fragment confirm your identity, Virginia Edelfelt” She walked around her inspecting the surgical scars from when she was held captive, looking at her now purple hair that Mother had spent all morning braiding. “Lift your blouse, I want to see your back” 

Doing as she was told she felt Luvia’s gloved hands massaging her spine feeling for the break, stopping when she was mid back and lower torso. “It would seem that bastard really modified you. We didn’t know you were even alive, that town was making magic unstable, and he’d wiped away all spiritual remnants of Magdalene there was a burned child’s body with its eyes gouged out.” She was pulled into a hug taken a bit back they hadn’t abandoned her, they actually thought she was dead.. Hearing this news filled her with warmth and joy something she had not felt in a long long time.

Crying softly she returned the hug tightly holding her as close as she could, for seven years all she was told is that she was a resource, a weapon, a set of mystic eyes, and experiment, to have someone who actually care about her as family. Her thoughts flashed back to her current guardians and she got nervous “I take if you will want to take me back from my adoptive family now?”

Luvia smirked “After the war is over yes, but you will not be prevented from visiting them. However you are supposed to be Magdalene Edelfelts Heir so you need to have the second crest implanted, luckly we managed to save hers it was mostly intact, the tuners spent the last seven years repairing the little damage there was.” She grinned stepping back “We should get you to school after all, I would like to speak with your ‘father’ after the day is over though I’m curious about your rescue” With that she snapped her fingers as time restarted around them, the world returning to normal the gems Rin used vanishing.

Rin looked awkwardly at Luvia then Virginia when they separated without breaking a step Virginia pulled Rin into a hug smiling down at the smaller girl in twin tails. “So Rin you met my sister” she grinned down at her with a joy she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Not that I don’t love you holding me, but we need to get to class, so Luvia go back to the house” Rin glared at the rich woman while Virginia seriously wondered why these two were so antagonistic, But Luvia simply walked into the school like she owned the place.

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Shirou’s blood still boiled from that bruise he saw on Sakura that morning, his feet coming down hard as he hunted for Shinji, the air around him filled with killing intent that made students he passed back up nervously. Where was that bastard, how could he just hit his sister!? 

“You have a lot of nerve showing up at school without your Servant Emiya, Don’t you dare look down on me” His attention snapped to the voice coming from the stairs it was Rin standing their with a menacing look in her eyes. Brushing off her warning he gritted his teeth and approached her, placing his hands on her shoulders. It was unusual to see her without Virginia but after last night he wasn’t surprised to not see her here. It was his fault her back was broken after all.  
  
“Tohsaka…” her face went red as students around them probably misunderstood the situation badly as it really did look like a confession yet that was the furthest thing from his mind. “I need your advice…” 

“O..okay follow me” she stammered slightly before leading him to the roof, he relayed the events of last night. 

_ As they walked back from the church he and Saber talked about his duties as her master while taking back alleys to avoid police investigating the battle scenes from earlier that night. They came across Ayako passed out a purple haired Servant drinking her blood. How he thought she looked extremely familiar but his memory wasn’t working that well after having been eviscerated. Saber quickly threw him back before he could figure out who she looked like as the sound of clapping filled the air. Shinji with a mocking grin approached laughing arrogantly “So is that your Servant Emiya? Let me introduce you to mine, Kill him Rider!”  _

_ Why did the servant look so familiar, he couldn’t figure it out no sooner had she charged at them than Saber had knocked her into a wall. She was weak, really weak was she really a servant? Sabers face was twisted in anger as she dropped the chain. Yet Shinji ignored both of them walking towards Rider, his servant and torturing her with some kind of book, Electricity shocking her as he did. Her screams he couldn’t forget how pained they sounded yet before he could keep this up the book burst into flames, his panicked attempts to put it out ended when his grand father Zouken that creepy old Man Shirou remembered meeting the other day appeared from a swarm of bugs. “Seems the Matou’s have been defeated” he seemed to scare Shinji.  _

He continued with telling her how they dropped Ayako off at the church but conveniently left out the parts of his father being a Magus killer, that both the Overseer and Saber had told him. “So Shinji was a master as well” he watched her lips pull into a thin line. 

“Did your servant punch Rider into a wall” Spinning around he saw a purple hair woman sitting ontop of the stairwell entrance his body screamed get away from her.

“Rider!” he called out before his vision finally connected that it was Virginia. . . Walking?! 

“No Virginia but I’m curious why you thought I was her for a second.”

“Your hair, and over all height.” He stammered as she walked closer to him, her long plait resting on her left shoulder. “But..Rin thats not the only thing” he turned back to her telling her about Sakura and the bruise from this morning “I’m worried she will get dragged into this”

“So why don’t you invite her to stay with you for the time being and protect her?” Rin’s response was faster than he expected but her reaction to Shinji having a sister was one of shock not surprise. “That is if you’re saying she’s an important person to you” he liked it though in his house he had the room, and she would be safe. 

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As he ran off Virginia looked at Rin “We need to find that servant” Rin agreed looking at the fact they had more visitors than before it made sense Rider most likely has some kind of connection with Virginia but she wasn’t sure what. Maybe Lord El-Melloi could help figure it out, he was the genius detective of the Clock Tower after all. 

“Come back to my house tonight I want to introduce you to someone Virginia” 

“I’ll try, but would you mind walking home with me first. I need to talk to my Mother before we go to your house” she noticed Virginia acting a bit odd but nodded its not like Archer wouldn’t be on standby though keeping Luvia from tagging along was going to be a nightmare. 

As she turned to leave “I would ask that you bring your Archer with you, we need to talk, my Daughter is in danger” She spun back on heel to see Virginia’s eyes glassed over her body moving like a woman possessed. 

“Are you a master or a servant?” she narrowed her eyes at the person possessing Virginia

“I’ll answer your questions when you both arrive, I’ll make sure the four of you are cleared to enter.” Virginia’s lips pulled into a smile.

“Four? Virginia, Myself, and Archer who’s the fourth?” 

“Luvia Edelfelt, she spent all morning talking to my husband.”

Of course thats what she was doing, well answers are what she wanted and what they would be getting hopefully. “I’ll be there, but if possible may I bring two more people?”

“Who?”

“Lord El-Melloi II and his apprentice Gray, they accompanied Luvia here and if my servant is going to be coming with me then I’d rather have them with me as well.” She wanted to choose her words carefully so as to not aggravate the person talking.

“Bring them, but no one else” with that Virginia’s eyes returned to normal as she rubbed her temples. Her eyes fell on Rin’s own dumbstruck face and nervous reaction. 

“Let me guess Mother invited you over?”

“Yep. If my instincts are anything to go by tonight's talk is going to be interesting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter Night two.


	5. Stolen dreams

Blindfolded, chained up and squirming in what felt like chitinous worms chewing on her flesh. She tried hard to focus on the events that led up to this horrific moment, but each bite from the worms filled her mind with agony. Each attempt by them to crawl inside her was barely fought off with her restrained thighs, the heavy metal shackles holding her limbs to the floor, the collar around her neck attached to a chain. How had the meeting gone that badly? Where did all those assassins come from?! 

It happened so fast Caster had made them Tea, Rin blushed deeply as Caster commented on being happy meeting her daughters girlfriend, Kuzuki even smiled something that made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. But before the conversation could even begin the screams throughout the temple caused them to scatter each breaking off in pairs to look for the source. They all walked right into that trap, out of nowhere six different Assassin servants all in black with skull masks surrounded them. She and Rin fought, her speed and strength along side Rin’s magic, but not matter how much they fought more kept appearing. After taking out 2 of the group with much difficulty they had heard that scream that pierced the sky. It was Caster, and no sooner had they heard it than the Tattoo’s on her body vanished.   


The bites were filling her mind with lust and pain, no matter how much she fought she could not move, could not see, she was stuck writing in this awful pit, full of creatures trying to eat her. Squeezing her eyes shut under her blindfold she tried to focus on the event. It was all a blur, she couldn’t remember what happened to the rest just that she had scales on her arms, talons on her fingers, her head filled with a seething hatred. 

_ “Thats right, Men caused this, Men always try to take what is most precious to us.”  _ The wicked laughter that followed the voice felt oddly comforting as she struggled again against her restraints.  _ “We are stronger than this, Pull yourself free, Do it, he’s watching you after all. It is that mortal who violates your body this way.”  _

Chewing, gnawing, she was being bitten all over every time she tried to swat the pain just got worse.  _ “Free our arms, use that strength” _

Closing her eyes she tried to block out the pain of her leg being eaten to force as much mana as she could into her arms. The strength from before, she needed it badly but the pain, oh god the pain was making even the simplest thought like moving while in wet concrete. Her blood felt as if it was full of syrup as she screamed for help, flailing as bugs began to crawl between her legs forcing themselves into her. “Help please!” she cried out her body getting heavier from the blood loss. Her limbs felt as if they were being melted she could feel her body trying to forcefully regenerate yet it was scales that appeared on her limbs, her eyes stared around in hatred. Shaking her head she couldn’t get the worms off her face, the parasites trying to force their way into her mouth, one’s talons hooked the edge of her blindfold shaking her head she managed to get it to slide close enough to her hand to pull both the worm and blindfold free. She could feel her strength returning to her, the bounded field around the house was draining her captors, a wicked smile went across her face.

She wasn’t done not yet, the bugs on her face began turning to stone, staring up at the bastard holding her his body began to crumble, her mind flooded with rage, a toxic molten rage that wanted to murder everyone near her gave her the strength she needed to rip her arms and legs free. Running up the stares her chains shaking behind her in a way that sounded like a snake slithering she felt alive, invincible. Laughing maliciously she ran to the door that lead out of the dungeon. “Like this would stop me!” As she was about to slam her fist into the door, hoping to rip it off of its hinges she was thrown backwards. Before her stood a woman equal her height long purple hair, if she had to guess the servant Rider who’d attacked Shirou before. She matched the description he gave Rin at least from when she was ease dropping.

“Calm down” she pleaded holding out the glasses that had been missing from when she awoke, Virginia just laughed refusing them, her limbs started to hurt again as she felt the bugs still inside of her eating at her flesh. Why wasn’t the woman turning to stone, she wanted to know but the pain was getting to be too much. She felt her bounded field start to go out of control as her rage increased from the constant pain.

She lunged at Rider, who vanished in the blink of an eye, before she could turn and look for her the woman pulled her into a hug like restraint forcing the glasses back onto her face causing the field to collapse. “I’m sorry for this…just wait a bit longer” with that the world went dark and she fell limp in the woman's arms.

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Sakura’s eyes widened when she saw Shirou helping a tall man going by the name of Archer carry Rin and a blond woman into his house. Running forward quickly she fought the urges of the worms inside of her as she helped the guests inside. Rin was bleeding badly, her left eye was covered in blood from the look of it a knife had just missed it and hit the eyebrow gouging it open, her arm was bent backwards at an angle that made her want to vomit. A servant did this she knew it, but they both were doing their best to keep her out of the conflict…yet if they knew the truth. They’d abandon her wouldn’t they.   


She quickly followed Shirou as he set the two girls down on the queen bed in one of the western styled bedrooms with effort both of them managed to reset Rin’s arm but the pain was going to be another story when she regained consciousness. The blond woman had similar knife like wounds up and down her arms, as well as a large bruise along her cheek. How did a servant do this and not kill them? She wondered silently bandaging up the womans arms, then icing her bruises.

She decided to head back to the main room but stopped when she heard shouting from Saber and Archer. 

“A group of Assassins? You have to be kidding me!” she shouted right in the mans face.

“I’m not joking Saber, all hell broke loose there were at least sixty assassins there, and one even had a weird arm. Things didn’t get out of hand though until Caster was killed.” She heard him stop to take a deep breath.

Shirou’s voice chimed in “Caster was there why?”

“She was Virginia’s adoptive mother, Kuzuki was her master. Both are dead, when they died something happened she became very dangerous started attacking everyone friend and foe. It took all of us to subdue her but no sooner had we done that than the one with the weird arm grabbed her and took off. The other fifty scattered making it impossible to figure out where they took her.” Archer’s worried tone started to over take his annoyed default.

“What about Rin and that woman? You said there were others did they make it out?” Saber’s tone got more and more on edge.

“Rin and Luvia tried to calm Virginia down, whatever Caster was restraining with that spell got loose and she was barely able to regain consciousness long enough for one of the Assassins to knock her out.” Glancing around the corner she saw Archer pinch his nose again. “It took eleven assassins, Rin, Luvia, and dumb luck to Stop her Rampage, Lord El-Melloi II and his apprentice I didn’t see them though, I hate asking this but would the two of you go look for them. I’m too low on Mana and won’t leave my master in the state she’s in.” 

“Yeah we’ll look for them, please keep an eye on Sakura though. Protect her with your life Archer” when her Senpai said those words she pulled back pressing her hands against her mouth to muffle her surprise. She was happy, sad, and confused all in the same moment.  
  
Walking back to her room she called out Telepathically _ “Rider, Do you know where Virginia is?” _

_ “She’s in the Matou Manor, she just escaped the Worm pit, I had to knock her out I’m sorry. She’s currently in a cell here.” _

Biting her thumb slightly she glanced out the window seeing the light to Rin’s room the pair still sleeping on the bed.  _ “Can you free her and bring her here?” _

_ “Not without exposing you Master, but..” _

She forced herself to exhale  “But what Rider?”

_ “There is an abandoned mansion here, I can take her there see if I can’t help her rein in her curse” _

Sakura’s eyes widened  “Curse?”

_ “Yeah mine, the Curse of Athena” _

Her eyes locked with Rin’s window again and she nodded.  _ “ D o it Rider but be careful. Senpai and Saber have left looking for the other two in their group.” _

_ “Understood Master” _

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The light breaking through the shutters hurt her eyes as tried to shield them with her hand. Turning she was in a bed, her neck hurt a lot as she rubbed it her fingers pressed against a pair of small holes, before she could question too much her eyes fell on the glasses neatly folded on the nightstand next to her taking them she pulled them back on.   


The door opened and the woman from the night before entered wearing a similar set of glasses, a sweater, and jeans holding a plate of what looked like eggs. “I’m sorry about your neck, I needed to drain your mana to resupply but also keep that curse in check.”

“You’re Rider aren’t you?” her voice quivered as she looked at her, glimpses of how quickly their fight ended flashed through her mind.

“Yes, but I suppose the better term would be Grand mother” Now that was a statement she wasn’t expecting.  


“Golden scales, Super human strength, sentient hair and those eyes, My eyes” The servants lips spread into a smile as she set the plate down before the very confused Virginia.

“Who..are you?” asking hesitantly before taking a mouthful of the fluffy scrabbled eggs. The womans face hardened for a moment as if she was thinking before she nodded.

“My true name is Medusa, the Mortal Goddess others call me the Gorgon.” Virginia’s fork fell from her hand, she knew she was related to a god, the way people acted, hell the reason the Mages association hunted her down, the reason her mother all but sold her to the Edelfelts was because of it. But hearing it, let alone meeting the goddess who’s supposed to have been dead was an entirely different story. But inside part of her knew, her eyes turned people to stone, who else in mythology did that, yet part of her had hoped it was someone like Artemis or Aphrodite.

She opened her mouth to speak but the shock suddenly hit her she fell off the bed reaching desperately for the nearby trash bin as her stomach contents emptied themselves into it. “So..I really am..a demi god?” she fought back her tears as her stomach fought the urge to empty itself a second time.

“Take it easy, your body is fighting off a curse you were not meant to bare.” Rider’s hand gently massaged Virginia’s back, she wasn’t sure what to do other than clutch this can and vomit, which she did, this time one of the chitinous worms came up looking partially dissolved. “When I was removing those worms, your body was already eating them..” Rider’s words sounded concerned as she stated that fact.

“Where was I? What were those..” Before she could even get the last word out bile and half digested food filled the can in her arms. She clung to it as if it was a life preserver keeping her from drowning, the pain in her abdomen ached like she’d fought a demonic boar and lost. 

“Matou manor, masters grandfather abducted you with his assassins my guess is you were supposed to be either food for them or under his control.” 

The hand on Virginia’s back tightened as Riders tone got darker, “Rider..what did you mean by my grand mother?” she sat up gently as the waves of Nausea passed she just leaned back in the servants grip. The air was musty she had only now realized that she had no idea where they even were.

“I was a mother, my son is your father” wait…what?!

Pardon fuck? What? I’m sorry excuse me but what? How who where why? What?! Her mind just kept racing as it clicked in her head, yet even then she refused to believe it. How could that be possible?! “I’m sorry but that joke isn’t funny”

“I’m not joking, unlike most of my grandchildren both of my sons are alive” her tone’s seriousness caught Virginia more off guard as her brain struggled to keep up with the sheer bullshit she was convinced she was hearing. Magic okay, summoning legendary hero’s sure, having a dad who’s several thousand years old no thats the line she’s calling bullshit on.

“Bullshit”

“Virginia listen to me, I can only imagine how confusing this is, but both of my children were fully divine and immortal” Riders hands held the girl in a tight motherly embrace holding her tightly. She wanted to break free to run but it made sense, why the hell else would they hunt her for all her life. Hell Medea had said something similar that she was the child of someone very important, but never went into specifics. Wait had she known? How couldn’t she during their test session she turned several of those skeletons to stone, hell part of Medea’s training was how to keep her eyes from draining her completely of mana. No it was on her she never once thought about the fact she could petrify people with her eyes, it was painfully obvious but since they were usually sealed it never dawned on her that she was related to Medusa. 

“If my father really is a god why did I keep getting traded around?”

“Chrysaor was a fierce warrior, who wielded a golden blade, he could shape shift into a winged boar at times, if he isn’t with you there must be a reason for it.” The servant sat up helping Virginia back onto the bed before kneeling in front of her a concerned look in her eyes, one that made the nervous teen shake ever so slightly. “We need to talk”

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** The night Before minutes after Caster was killed. **

“Miss Tohsaka, Miss Edelfelt I need your help to restrain Virginia!” the man once known as Waver Velvet shouted his arms up guarding his face from the wind buffeting them as the girl went on a rampage throwing Assassin’s that looked very much like the ones his Lord Iskandar had killed in the previous war into the buildings. Her hair seemed to be sentient lashing and whipping around to any nearby target. In but a blink a circle appeared under his and Gray’s feet his eyes lifted just long enough to see Virginia’s hand glowing magenta with malicious mana. 

_ “Brace for impact child of man” _ the voice rang out in his head as he was suddenly flung back the darkness taking him, Gray’s shouts being the last thing he heard. 

Sometime around dawn he came too, his hands reaching up to undo the mangled mess that his hair had became, reaching for a cigar his eyes fell on Gray, her mask was cracked and laying beside her on top of a note. Taking a deep drag, enjoying the flavor. The Japanese had rather impressive Cigars he didn’t expect them to but they did not on par with Cubans but then again no one really topped Cuba in cigar manufacturing. Leaning back against the wall he finally took in his surroundings a cave at the top of a mountain he could see the ruins of Ryuudo Temple below him. Confused but also curious he picked up the note and started to read it out loud.

“To the Lord from the Mages Association, I am aware of your unconventional behavior and how people view you in the Association. I am also aware my daughter was currently under the care of the Servant known as Caster who I knew as Medea, how the Edelfelts lost her, and how my daughter was tortured for this petty ritual. I wish to keep peace with the children of Man like yourself, and thus I will keep to the shadows and simply watch so as to not break this Masquerade of ignorance children of men insist on upholding. I will not save you a second time, break my daughters curse, there is something wrong with this Ritual something that calls to me, and is calling to her curse. A malevolence personified. If I have to intervene so will the Counter Force you have been warned. I have left a pair of letters one for the Edelfelt woman, the other for my daughter. Make sure they get them, and make sure my daughter gets the package I left in your care” he lowered the letter which was written in English but the penmanship was too good like someone who practiced it for a long time, odds were it wasn’t his first language. Looking around the cave his eyes fell on the box next to the cage Gray carried that held Ad it was slightly bigger than the cage and wooden.   
  
Pulling his phone out he sighed folding the note in half and taking another deep flavor filled drag off of his Cigar, mentally cursing that he bothered to watch that message from Atrum. More angry at himself for not realizing that bastard had kidnapped another member of a Magus family and committed open murder to create a cursed abomination. First he needed to call Flat, and have him and Caules look into what exactly the Counter Force was, and what these scales came from. Taking the cigar and gently putting it out then back into its tube, he called the pair up giving them orders. Shifting his eyes back to his sleeping apprentice he was glad she was uninjured but she was probably exhausted from the battle that night. Gently stroking her hair stares at her, mind wondering what was Artum up to, and if he could make it out of this with minimum casualties. 

Dialing into his phone he wasn’t sure she’d answer and was a bit surprised when she did but his eyes shifted back to Gray then back to the phone. “Miss Edelfelt we need to talk”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next few chapters will feature Sakura, Rin and Shirou much more as we enter night three. Thank you for your patience


	6. Answers leave more questions

The smell of food filling the house was enough to stir Shirou from his deep sleep, it took him a minute to remember Sakura was living there as he got up pulling his loose well worn sweat pants on, grabbing a clean T-shirt from his dresser he made his way out to give her a hand. He was pleasantly surprised to see Rin kneeling at the table, her arm in a sling while her face was the epitome of depressed. He felt really bad no matter how much he and Saber patrolled the city the night before they didn’t find Virginia anywhere nor Lord El-Melloi II and his apprentice. Well time to cheer her up the best way he knew how, his legendary cooking with a big smile he pulled out some meat from the day before and began making Hamburg steaks while Sakura continued to work on the eggs and their lunches. Soon the house smelled pleasantly of mixed pork and beef, along with cheese and sauteed onions, the simple sound of meat sizzling, and gravy boiling.

He smiled when he heard the familiar footsteps of Saber walking into the room, from the shuffle behind her he figured she was helping Luvia to the table, turning around his assumption was correct. Limping ever so slightly the tall blond Finnish woman carefully got onto her knees next to Rin on the far side of the table across from where Sakura and Shirou usually sat.

“So Tohsaka I heard from our missing professor, Seems he and his apprentice woke up in a cave over looking the Temple. Virginia is still missing but he and I came to roughly the same conclusion.” His ears perked up hearing Luvia’s tired yet serious tone, the bickering the two usual had was gone at the moment. Both where worried about this person but also seemed that Virginia was way more important than he figured. As he began to lower the heat the door bell rang.

“I’ll get it Senpai” Sakura smiled sliding past him with an infectious smile on her face. He was glad inside that she had moved in, seeing her with Shinji…the way he treated her it made something inside of him burn, something he hadn’t felt before something he couldn’t quite understand. A loud slap snapped him of his thoughts as he turned the stove off and ran towards the front door. Sakura was on her knees clutching her cheek, Shinji standing over her with his ever present smug grin on his face, in that moment the emotion he felt was clear. He was Angry, his body moving on pure instinct he wretched his once friend up by the collar glaring in his eyes as she cried behind him.

“SHINJI!” his hand clenched in a fist his mind just wanting to beat him then and there, yet control came back with a shake of his hand he pulled him closer releasing the fist and whispered angrily “I cannot trust her with you”

Footsteps echoed behind them “Ah I see you had a taste and now want to keep her all to yourself” The elder matou mocked quietly in his ear, making sure even the denser than a brick Shirou knew he was referring to fucking her.

“Sakura!” Rin’s voice cried out from behind her as he saw her approach out of the corner of his eye, but before Shirou could act Shinji slammed his forehead into Shirou’s leaving him with a mouth full of blue hair.

“Oh?” his coy laugh coming from Shinji as his eyes set on Rin was making it really hard to stay focused in that moment. Leaning down he whispered into Shirou’s ear “you criticize me yet” Shinji clicked his teeth, Shirou’s blood was boiling just from the noise alone “what have you done to poor Tohsaka, Kinda greedy.” As he pulled back from Shirou’s ear the killer Aura Rin gave off made the young Emiya want to cower in fear, she’d heard the conversation.

“Shinji where is Virginia!” her fingers shaped like a gun, aimed at the Matou masters chest.

“I don’t know what happened to that slut, I had my fun and she was dealt with” Laughing in her face, was this fools ego that fragile? How could he do that to a woman threatening him, Shirou had seen that hand sign once before when they were ambushed the first night.

“Nii-san…please stop…I’ll do whatever you want just please..” The cries broke the air, Sakura had seen all this, she’d heard every word and right now tears were streaming down her eyes as she watched her friends threatening her brother.

“Just remember what you said Sakura” he laughed again turning and walking off, and with that action Shirou knew deep down Shinji had signed his death wish, if Rider didn’t kill him, or Rin, he would. Had his fun? Sexual insinuations about his sister? What the fuck was wrong with him?!

“Rin?” his words were met with a cold stare as she simply turned and with her good arm pointed at Sakura sobbing on the ground he knew what she was implying, focus on Sakura leave Virginia to them.

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Pulling her hair into its usual pigtails Rin finds herself storming out of the Emiya residence quickly and extremely determined. Shinji’s comment ‘I had my fun and she was dealt with’ what did he mean by that? Did he touch her? Did he kill her? Where was she and why did he make that comment where those assassins his? She found herself in the park walking around in a circle ignoring the golden haired man watching her from a distance.

They were talking, Caster had gotten up alarmed then next thing she remembers is everyone scattering when Archer told them all to run, Assassins with Ashen skin and skull masks attacking from every direction. She, Luvia, and Virginia almost made it away when the screaming happened, that earsplitting blood curdling screaming occurred. Virginia had doubled over her body was covered in those scales and her hair was acting weird. Luvia started shouting a spell to lock the glasses on her face worried her mystic eyes might activate. Then Virginia was attacking them her eyes filled with such terrifying killing intent, as if they had killed someone important to her.

What was going on? Why did she start screaming like that and losing control? _“Master I’m sensing a servant nearby you should leave quickly”_ Archer’s voice crass but still a warning snapped her out of her thoughts from the night before. Only now did her eyes land on the Golden haired man watching her with a smug grin his red eyes looking her up and down.

Picking her school bag up she did as Archer suggested and quickly vacated the park, turning down a few alleys making several sharp turns, her eyes glancing off window’s watching the reflection behind her. The man wasn’t following her but wait. _“Archer was the servant you sensed that Blond man?”_

_ “Yes but this isn’t making sense master, there are too many servants even if we count all the Assassins as one even though that one with the arm was fighting the others, thats still nine servants not seven” _he was right and it was bothering her if they counted the two assassins as rival factions, along with Casters Assassin thats ten servants.

_ “Archer we are breaking into the Matou manor we are finding her” _ her eyes twitched as she glanced around the corner doubling back to her house, managing to get in just as the phone went off. “Tohsaka Residence?”

“Oh Tohsaka thank heavens your there was an incident at Ryuudo Temple last night, most of the residence are fine but Mr Kuzuki was found dead, his wife and daughter are still missing, but from the amount of blood it isn’t looking good. I know you and Virginia were close if you need to take the day off I can talk to the headmaster” Fujimura’s voice spoke as rapidly as ever.

“I’d like that Fujimura-sensei please…keep me updated” she was still shook up and the pain in her voice was genuine not waiting for the coming reply she simply hung up kicking her shoes off and falling into a nearby chair letting out a pained sigh, the emotions from last night finally catching up. Tears began to well up falling freely from her eyes.

Why? Why? Why? No matter how many times she tried to rationalize it she couldn’t understand why were they attacked, why was Virginia abducted, mystic eyes were sought after yes, but the grail was more sought after so why go after her? Why was she herself crying? She was a Mage she should be able to harden her emotions yet the rage she felt at Shinji’s comment made her no better than Shirou.

“Archer could you bring Luvia back over then go scout around town see if you can’t find some clues about Virginia’s location, who the masters of assassin are, and who the master of Lancer and Goldie were” she started undoing her sling as the magic had finally fully repaired her arm, she needed to punch something. “I need to prepare for tonight.”

He appeared next to her looking concerned but gave a curt nod “If you need me between then”

She held up her right hand with a confident smile “I’ll use a command spell”

With that he was gone, not long after Luvia Edelfelt entered the Tohsaka manor her wounds seeming to have finally healed as well. Sakura was very good at magical healing it was kind of startling since Rin needed much more mana to do similar spells.

“I’m going to the Matou Manor with or without you tonight. I’m going to find her and I need you to be straight with me what is so special about her that allows her to fight on par with a servant, what kind of mystic eyes does she have and why would assassins master abduct her?” her eyes just locked onto her second cousin, as she began to roll up her sleeves.

“I don’t know what her eyes do, no one does Magdalene never told anyone she just told us that a girl named Virginia was going to be her crest heir, while my mother then me inherited her younger sisters before well your dad was born. We know she was special the Mages Association chased her family for two years her parents longer. But Magdalene kept pretty much everything about Virginia secret.” Before the conversation continued her phone went off she picked it up putting it on speaker. “Lord El-Melloi II I’m relieved to know you’re alive.”

“We need to talk Miss Edelfelt about Virginia and we need to meet in the next hour”

“Lord El-Melloi II this is the Tohsaka master talking, would you and your apprentice come by my manor we can talk here privately I have questions for both you and Luvia”

“We will be there in the hour” with that the phone hung up Rin stared down at Luvia with irritation, not at anything the woman did not that she wasn’t plenty pissed off that the Edelfelts where involved to begin with. Of all the people to be dating the adoptive daughter of her grandmothers sister talk about fucked up, but thats mages for you.

“I’m going to work out, you can either join me or stay here take your pick Luvia.” Why!? Why the god damn hell was this war getting so complicated, she just wanted to live up to her father’s wishes. She just wanted to win the grail but no Caster dies, Virginia goes berserk, Shirou is somehow a master, Shinji is asking to die, Sakura is being abused, and three servants who shouldn’t be here are here. Something was wrong, very wrong and she couldn’t shake the feeling things where about to get much worse than they already where.

“I’ll join you, nobody attacks my family and gets away with it.” Rin was honestly surprised at how malicious her calm tone came off, she knew in that moment there was one thing they both agreed on, they were going to find who attacked them and end them.

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Sakura looked at Saber who’s eyes seemed lost in thought, she wished she could reveal that she was one of the masters, yet that would just hurt her Senpai. She wondered if her sister would even notice, she only seemed to care about that girl who looked like Rider, Virginia was safe yet even after Shinji attacked her Rin seemed more worried about Virginia. Part of her understood it she’d probably feel the same if Senpai went missing, yet deep down she felt this overwhelming jealousy towards the girl. Virginia had all these people worrying over her yet, only Senpai seemed to care about Sakura herself.

“Sakura are you alright?” Saber’s voice snapped her out of the path of negative thoughts she was following into a depressing hole.

“I’m alright Saber-san thank you” smiling she stood up excusing herself to her room the worms were more rambunctious today and it was causing her fever to return so she’d rather lie down than worry Senpai.

_ “Rider how is she?” _

_ “She’s shook up master but alright. She asked me to thank you for allowing me to rescue her” _

_ “Good, take care of her Rider. _

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Rin’s mood had improved slightly from working out, yet the anxiety and aggression was returning as her eyes shifted from Luvia, to the masked apprentice and finally to Lord El-Melloi II Archer had yet to find any real clues so far.

“So Luvia you have some explaining to do. Demigods don’t just happen in modern day who’s child is she?” she felt her tones bitterness and tried to rein it in, as much as she really hated the woman at times they both cared about the girl and needed to work together. Taking out frustration was not going to help the situation sadly however no matter how powerless she felt.

“Magdalene didn’t explain much she was apparently under a divine Gaes to keep most everything about Virginia secret until her crest was implanted.”

Her eyes widened at that a Divine Gaes was impossible to cast unless someone had Divinity, which made sense if one of Virginia’s parents where a god or goddess. The room went silent as they all knew the problem that statement had brought up, since Magdalene was killed before the crest transfer was finished even summoning her spirit wouldn’t give a straight answer.

“One thing I do know her name isn’t Virginia, it was originally Suryale to ensure her identity hidden Magdalene raised her under her current name. Once her crest was implanted we were instructed to call her by her original name and it should fully unseal her divine spirit.” Luvia looked more concerned than before as she sat back in her chair biting her handkerchief.

“Why are you here may I ask Lord El-Melloi II?” Rin finally had enough wondering and wanted a straight answer.

“Three months ago I received a message from Atrum Galliasta he was to participate in this war, and left me a message in the chance of his passing. He had summoned Caster as a servant but was killed three months before the war started by her.”

Rin’s eyes widened “wait what?! Caster was around the whole time Virginia was at school. But thats impossible the grail power to summon doesn’t appear till a week prior to the beginning of the war. To summon that much earlier would involve a separate massive magic source, while sure someone like the Illia could probably do it no one short of a powerful Einzburn homunculus could.”

“My thoughts exactly in case you forgot Miss Tohsaka I was a combatant in the last war, so I was suspicious investigating his lab we found this” he placed a file on the table, she quickly opened it reading through it as he continued “She was a magical battery and to be consumed by Caster’s magic. He did not have sufficiently high enough levels of mana needed to unleash her full potential, he hoped to win by summoning her early and summoning the Dragon of Colchis he had even modified Virginia with these scales that he thought where from the dragon due to them being with the golden fleece in Magdalene’s vault. He figured that Virginia was probably related to the dragon somehow yet all the surgery did was make her magic more unstable. As we know Caster killed him and Fled with the girl rather than summoning the dragon with the false hope that she might be able to control it.”

She thought about what he said and what he wasn’t what they all weren’t saying, that she most likely had magical circuits of unusually high power even untrained to be able to summon a servant that early. The thing that was more terrifying was the thought that she might be able to use magic from the age of the gods, seeing as she’s a demigod. That thought alone terrified her.

Luvia sat back the anger on her face as she bit harder into her handkerchief even from here Rin could feel the murderous intent she was giving off. If there was one thing no Magus family tolerated it was what happened to Virginia capture, torture and used as a disposable experiment by a rival family.

“From what we saw in his lab I would have held a meeting to have him declared a Heretic mass sacrifice of minors, as well as kidnapping a member of Lords family to torture and experiment. I don’t even want to think of what other things he did to her.” That was the moment Rin fully understood Virginia’s fear and hesitance when they met, she never knew her real parents and her adoptive family had seemingly abandoned her without her realizing they thought she was dead, mix in torture and possibly worse from the asshole who kidnapped her. She was honestly surprised the girl hadn’t snapped.

“What is going on with her though now? She was stable up until the night of the final summonings then she started acting weird, not showing up for school, then that night she’s moving and acting like a servant but her hair was no longer dark brown with purple highlights but solid purple and three times longer.” She looked towards the Lord her eyes pleading for answers.

“Gray please remove your mask” he looked slightly depressed at having to ask this as the blond girl removed the solid black featureless mask she’d worn since Rin met her.

“Saber?!” she couldn’t stop her shout out if she tried her mouth moved before she could even think. The girl looked just like Saber it was slightly terrifying how uncanny they looked then it clicked, everything suddenly started falling into place.

“Gray is a descendant of Sabers, due to a ritual her village did every time Saber is Summoned she takes on more and more of her appearance. Am I safe to assume that Sabers master is either the Einzbern or Emiya master?” She simply nodded her eyes falling on Gray but that was the last clue the scales and Rider. Virginia was related to Rider, they theorized that but that also means the scales belonged to Rider most likely but none of them knew who she was.

“Shirou Emiya is Sabers master, Illyasviel von Einzbern is Berserker's master” His eyes seemed surprised at this statement.

“I didn’t think the Einzbern’s would have two masters” his words caught her off guard. Wait what?! Then it clicked Illyasviel called Shirou Oni-chan she thought at first it was a little girl just being cute but wait it couldn’t be.

“Emiya isn’t working with her he’s working with me?” her voice broke from stammering from her confused denial.

He looked at her again curiously his eyes revealed things clicking in his head. “You are aware Saber served the Von Einzbern masters the 4th grail war right? Irisviel von Einzbern and her husband Kiritsugu Emiya they had an eight year old daughter back then. I didn’t know about her till after arriving at the clock tower as the temporary Lord of El-Melloi family. Her name was Illyasviel I tried to get into contact with her to see how she was doing after her parents died but like anyone the Einzbern’s aren’t found unless they want to be.”

Click everything fell into place, Shirou mentioned his father was constantly leaving on trips from the port, Illyasviel only recently came to Japan he’d been searching for his daughter. That meant that they were siblings, Shirou needed to hear this. Wait she was eight during the 4th holy grail war..ten years ago.. ILLYA was eighteen?!

“Now here is the question of the hour Miss Tohsaka is their any servant who looked like Virginia does after she transformed the first time?” his eyes narrowed on her.

“Rider only Shirou saw her but he had a hard time telling her and Virginia apart but her master is at least I think he is Shinji.”

“You think?” Luvia chimed in

“Yeah see Shinji has no magical aptitude frankly the Matou family line ran so thin they adopted my sister into their house hold. Sakura Matou is my sister, but Shinji needed a book to command Rider if Shirou’s story is to be believed, yet it matches up perfectly with that night. Virginia started getting electrocuted with purple lightning at the exact same time Rider was being electrocuted by Shinji. She had her back broken by Berserker yet once Rider vanished from Shirou’s battle her back healed instantly. I think she got called back to her proper master and it healed her, but it seems every time a command spell is used on Rider it affects Virginia too.”

“So Shinji is using a borrowed servant and the scales are causing her to not only look like Rider, but have the same affects as command spells. Which mind you don’t affect Gray when Saber is ordered around, meaning those scales belong to Rider. But we can’t remove them until we know their nature and who she is.” He sat back pulling a cigar case from his coat, tilting his hand in a way as if asking her could he smoke, she simply nodded her mind trying to think. It would help if anyone knew what Virginia’s eyes did, but she refused to ever remove her glasses.

As she watched him smoke he handed a letter to Luvia “this was left in the cave by our rescuer, if it is to be believed the person who rescued Gray and myself was her father.” They both looked at him with surprise, like why would he wait to mention that?

“And you didn’t think telling us you met her father might be vital?” she couldn’t help but snap at him.

“I didn’t meet him, we were knocked out when he rescued us and he was gone leaving only letters when we woke. That large envelope was addressed to Luvia personally, the other and that long box are for Virginia.” He pointed at the long thin box about twice the length and thickness of a baseball bat.

She turned her head to Luvia who was already reading it intently her eyes darting back and forth on the paper she put it down a cold chill on her face. She quickly reached into the large envelope the size of a clipboard and pulled out a glass slide with what looked like…no way it was.

“Luvia is that Magdalene’s crest?!” she couldn’t help but shout, the woman who was slowly turning ghost white nodded.

“I’m to uphold Magdalene’s agreement until the crest is implanted, after that if she survives I will acquire the memories and details of the adoption.” She stopped not revealing what made her so pale, something in that letter must have been a threat but she wasn’t going to push. “The letter claims the crest should help stabilize her body enough that she should stop mutating. Matching up with what Caster said she’s producing more mana than her Circuits know what to do with due to her lack of training.” She paused again looking down at her sister crest “If we can implant this I should be able to use the connection we share to give her circuits a kick start.”

“But will they be able to handle it? I mean even if we gave her a crest that would be like planting the Einzbern crest on Shirou you we could but he doesn’t know how to use his circuits.” This didn’t make sense this wasn’t like true magic you couldn’t just will her circuits to work.

“There was one other thing in my letter you two I know the region and era roughly this god she’s related to is from. He’s from ancient Greece possibly Macedonia. ‘This servant Caster who I knew as Medea’ he knew her identity when we didn’t.”

She stared at him a Greek god associated with snakes “Asclepius? I mean he was associated with snakes and a god? But what then would that have to do with the dragon of Colchis?” she really wished she hadn’t gotten so bored of reading Greek history because now it would be useful.

“So our next order of business is hunting down Virginia and implanting this crest completely then I’m taking her home” Luvia stared at them as she looked back at the letter nervously.

“That and Finding Bazett Fraga McRemitz” her jaw dropped as Lord El-Melloi II talked “she’s supposed to be an master in this war, and if things go sideways we will need her talents.”

“Why do we need a sealing designation enforcer?!” at that point for the first time since they’d known each other Luvia and Rin where in perfect synch.

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**Earlier that very Morning.**

Her arm hurt, as she turned trying to get the sun out of her eyes. Something fell off of her as the violet eyed woman sat up, her short cropped matching colored hair barely moving at all as she looked around the bed she rested on. It was the manor she’d bought but the last thing she remembered was being at the church and Kirei… her eyes fell to her right arm, which was currently a bandaged stump.

Bazett thought to herself for a moment before uttering a simple “dammit”

Turning towards the door she saw a pair of purple hair women almost identical standing in the doorway holding what looked like towels and bowls of water. "You're awake, good" The older one simply smiled as they approached her.


	7. I watched you from afar Senpai

The golden man who to himself should be recognized by all lazed back in a middle pew of the church while observing Kotomine, the priest overseeing the current grail war as he was showing a most amusing face. The appearance of extra servants had confused him, but the copy of Rider seemed to anger him, this was turning into a most amusing grail war.

“That look on your face, is one of pleasure Kotomine” His lips twisting into a devilish smile his tone virtually laughing “Do these occurrences confuse you this much? Do you not find this was most amusing?” he sat up holding his goblet of perfectly aged wine befitting of a being like him between his fingers. He couldn’t help but laugh since becoming this ball of curses in the last war nothing this enjoyable had happened.

“How am I supposed to enjoy the return of the Assassins, while there is a second one acting on its own from the group” The haggard priest glared at his seemingly every growing enjoyment. 

“But thats the whole point of the mystery sit back and enjoy it Kotomine” this man was too serious and wearing thin but he still gained great pleasure from his torment. 

“What about that purple haired girl who looks like Rider, and Waver Velvet showing up, there is also that insufferable blond woman from the clock tower. We cannot hide our plans if they get too close” his pace quickened as he continued to think.

“The way I see it that blond woman would be perfect for our plans as for the others we could simply kill the girl with purple hair, it would break your darling apprentices heart allowing us to kill that mongrel, and cause Iskandar’s Page to flee.” Taking a deep drink from his glass he grinned widely “Let me kill her, she is most amusing after all and seems to have special powers. Should be an interesting few minutes”

“Go ahead but only once she’s alone, I don’t want you getting spotted”

“Fine I’ll play your games, but tonight she’s mine” with that he decided to go back to his chambers and enjoy the model he purchased the other day. Motorcycle’s were such a fascinating invention and he quiet enjoyed building model ones.

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Shirou sat in the workshop eyes closed as he focused on reinforcing the wooden sword before him. “Trace on” the make up of the sword flooded into his mind like a blueprint, each flaw and imperfection became visible to him, there was a small knot by the base of the handle, a few broken splinters on the blade from common use. He force his body to produce a circuit the pain was something he was used to by now.  _ Reinforcing basic structure.  _ A faint glow fills the room made up of concentrated mana covering the boken in a pattern similar to that of his own magical circuits. 

_ Focus, keep calm thats it Shirou. They were attacked? Why? He pulled Rin into the house holding her bridal style as Sakura rushed into help. Her innocent face twisted in pain, her arm bent backwards at the elbow fingers twisting every which way. The hospital yet again more attacked, why was he so useless?! Issei in the hospital his mana heavily drained, his family each in a bed of their own. He should have been there, how could he be a hero of justice if he can’t even protect those close to him!?  _

The glow of the boken flickered making several bright flashes in the barn sized shed he used as a workshop, the air filled with static and the faint smell of ozone with each twist of his face, each grunt a new spark around the sword.

_ People could die, and yet Rin prefers to ask that girl for help?! Why was she able to be so strong yet he gets told to sit on the sidelines? ‘Am I really that weak?” flames filled his mind, a desolate waste before him, large cogs in the sky shadows off in the distance. Their mouths move but he can’t hear the words they speak. _

The wooden sword explodes in his grasp pulling him back to reality. “Its not good I can’t focus” with a relenting sigh he looks up at the soft knock on his door. He had no sooner opened the door than taken a few steps back from surprise at how beautiful Sakura was tonight, a simple yet elegant white dress with a collar, matching wedges and an adorably anxious stance. 

“Senpai I just wanted to talk for a bit.” His smile put her heart at ease as he helped her inside pulling the door shut. As he went back over to his large blue tarp he saw her shaking.

“It’s a bit cold in here let me fix that” he was quite proud of the heater he fixed, granted he wouldn’t tell her he used magic to do it. He couldn’t have his secret revealed after all, he placed it in the center of the room, reaching for the starter.

“Oh did you manage to fix it senpai?” she smiled as the heat kicked on.

“Yeah it took a while but I managed to figure out what was wrong” he smiled again proud that she smiled even briefly.

“Senpai do you remember?”

“What?” he tilted his head looking at her as her eyes met his.

“It’s a story from long ago, so long in fact that its from at time before the two of us even met.” She smiled wider turning her head back towards the flames enjoying their warmth. “It was a bright red sunset, it bathed the courtyard, hallway and everything else was bathed in red. It was beautiful but lonely, thats when I happened to see somebody he was high jumping all alone in the courtyard.” She paused looking at him with a shamed look in her eyes. “To tell you the truth back then I was not a good girl. As I stood there watching that person I couldn’t help but think that person should just screw up. But he couldn’t make the jump no matter how hard he tried.” She returned to looking at the flames of the heater, closing them as her smile returned. “In the end the boy came to realize he couldn’t jump, so he packed up and went home.”

Wait a minute this sounds familiar, it was then he noticed she was resting her cheek on her knees staring at him with a warm adoring smile that spoke volumes of affection, her hands wrapped around her knees hugging them to her chest gently, her hair gently cascading down the side of them. “Sakura are you saying that boy was…”

“Exactly, that person was the upperclassman sitting here beside me. You didn’t realize it but I knew you since way back then. Surprised?” 

Well yeah he was slightly he never knew she’d been watching him since then but it made her insistence on helping him after his arm was injured make a bit more sense. “I.. I see. This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

“So Senpai..um I have a question that may make you uncomfortable. I was talking to Fujimura sensei, she said you where adopted into this family.”

“Yeah I was…” he said with a sad sigh.

“Does it ever bother you that you where?” her eyes return to the fire of the heater.

“Not at all, at first It was difficult, but I got used to it.” He went back to looking at the fire as well thinking briefly about how Kiristugu did his best to make him welcome.

“I see it must be because everyone went out of their way to make you feel welcome.” Wait was she adopted too?

“Actually the grownups around me were pretty unreliable, Kiristugu was hopeless when it came to house work, and well you’ve seen Fuji-nee. Doing the house work made me who I am today. But still I wanted to be like Kiristugu.” His eyes met the stars in the night through the skylight.

“A hero of justice” her voice got quiet the flame in the space heater going out again. Why did it go out? He fiddled with it some more as she spoke again. “Shirou I have one last question, if I suddenly became a bad person would you be mad at me?”

“Yeah I’d be angry, if you did something bad I’d give you an earful”

“I’m glad, I’d be fine with that if it was you.” she whispered as she stood up “I think I’ll head to bed” she began walking back to the house, leaving him with the image of fresh snow in his mind. His mind not understanding why his dreams all came back to her.

He turned back looking at the heater trying to figure out what was wrong with it when the incident from this morning flashed back into his head, Rin attacking Shinji then her angrily pointing at Sakura when he tried to see if she was alright. He looked up at the clock it was a little after ten with Sakura going to bed it was probably best for him to go out on patrol, looking for the other masters.


	8. Return

“Virginia we need to get my Servant back, would you mind being my back up?” Bazett’s eyes locking with the younger girl who was tending to her. Rider had left them a while ago to tend to her own master and she had to admit with one arm she’d be at a disadvantage in a fight, having a demi-god even a teenage one would help her. 

“As long as we don’t harm my friends sure” the poor girl was worried about them, a good sign this girl was going to become someone the Mages Association desperately needed, if they survived this that is. Her eyes fell on the poster tube she carried everywhere and a grin fell upon her lips as she lifted it feeling its weight. 

“Good lets head to the church, I have to teach my former friend a lesson.” She picked up her blazer feeling the armored pocket within it finding it undamaged a grin spreading across her face as she popped it open.

“Whats that?” The girl asked from behind her as she examined the metal fragment inside of it.

“This my dear is how I’m getting my servant back, put on your mystic code and arm yourself, there should be some knives in the office on the second floor.”

As the girl left Bazett gritted her teeth, she normally didn’t lose her cool but currently she was pissed, that bastard stole her Lancer and she was taking him back with or without him surviving. That woman had saved her life before giving her to Rider to watch over. Caren, she’d owe her big since that woman was from the Church and all. Not sure why she’d save a Mages Association Master but she did, and now Bazett would make it count. Walking over to the cabinet she flexes her stump as she opens the box Caren had left for her, inside was what looked like a mannequins arm but she could sense the magic coming from it, a small note rested on top of it. 

_ “If you wonder why I saved you? Keep wondering but here is an arm for you.”  _

Shaking her head that woman was confusing if the didn’t know any better she’d assume the woman was doing this for kicks. Opening her shirt slowly she pulled her stump free attaching the new prosthetic in place, as the final seal closed she felt the sudden rush of its magical circuits merging with hers. It felt like her old one but stronger sturdier and now it was round two, time to get dressed.

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The assassin before him had his guard was down watching the street below, where Lancer saw several ambulances loading hundreds of unconscious civilians from a nearby building. Lancer’s eyes returned to the assassin with annoyance his spear was getting hungry “Yo was all that commotion your handy work?” the tip of his spear dragging behind him, finally he’d get to fight he was tired of Kotomine dragging his feet and making him play scout. “Nah no way a son of a bitch like you could pull off such a great stunt.” He spun Gaebolg in one hand pulling it to the ready as the sand bug before him tilted his head curiously. 

Letting out a gibberish shriek assassin leaping off the crane, preparing to follow Lancer was instead pulled through a portal caused by a command spell, something was up.

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Bazett clenched her fists as she gave one final swing to the doors of the church, her reinforced gloves, muscles and new left arm tearing the doors from their hinges. Her eyes meeting Kotomine’s the slight uneasiness in his eyes telling her all she wanted to know he was scared not expecting the Berserker of the clock tower to return. Placing her poster case on the ground she walks towards him, her fists and feet glowing. Behind her she could hear the soft steps of Virginia approaching. “Give me back my servant.” No elevation of her voice no she was going to make it clear the level of calm fury boiling under her skin was going to end him. He simply smiles at her his hand raised in the air.

“Lancer by my command spell return here immediately” The air went ballistic in the churches small room, he fell right into her trap now here was hoping her gambit payed off. 

“Virginia do not interfere guard my back and make sure no one interrupts this fight.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the armored box no bigger than a pack of cigarettes. 

“Understood ma’am” the girl behind her replied pressing her back to the door frame so she could watch both the fight and the door for tricks or interlopers. Bazett’s eyes locked on to her servant then Kotomine.

“Lancer by my command spell kill Bazett Fraga McRemitz, kill your former master” there she saw his weapon raise as the disgust on lancers face made it apparent how he hated what he was about to do. She opened the box revealing the shard of metal inside. 

“Lancer, true name Cu’Chulainn you are gaes bound to lose to a man from Ulster who wields Caladbolg, I hold the last remnant of that weapon, and hold the red earrings of a soldier from Ulster” she wasn’t entirely sure if this would work but it was worth a shot, she was so in love with the myths from Ulster she trained as much as she could to obtain those earrings from a descendant. “You also swore your allegiance to your summoner which is me” she holds up the earrings next to the sword fragments they were his earrings from his descendants now rightfully hers, could he resist. 

He struggled his body fighting the urges of his vows to her and the command seals and his vow to Kotomine, this was her chance while he was distracted she lunged placing both back in the box as she ran tossing it to Virginia, raising her fists she dodged his first strike the spear shook as it hit the ground he was fighting but which would win she didn’t know. Weaving around Kotomine’s next attack she crouched swinging upwards her fist connecting with his jaw as he attempted to move out of the way. 

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Virgina was watching the fight as Kotomine and Bazett fought each taking a powerful swing at the other, but no matter how much he tried Bazett was far stronger every hit he landed she returned with four times the force. Pews scattered and broke as he was flung into them, a stone pillar cracked and dripped blood from where he was hit. Lancer kept fighting himself resisting both the command spell, his gaes, and his conflicting oaths then he stops her eyes watching curiously as he simply states “I will make no action until a winner is decided, I cannot follow conflicting oaths.” Bazetts gambit paid off she grins turning towards the door as a loud crash behind her drew her attention. A man with golden hair, had just kicked the motorcycle Bazett brought them on over.

“So you are the brat who pretends to be a servant tell me child, who gave you the right to be saw conceited?” he drew a sword from the portals that began to appear behind him her hands reaching for the knives on her hips. This mystic code was mostly just early Greek light armor, not much different than someone on Medea’s crew would wear, she wasn’t sure how it would hold up to a noble phantasm. 

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Her plan was working now to kill this bastard, he was getting up stalking towards her his speed was increasing in his hands six holy blades forming like claws on a rabid animal. His hands crossing the blades slashing from the chest out wards at her, deflecting the one with her left, while countering with her right sending him into a nearby pillar, coughing up blood. “Surrender Lancer Kotomine” her words but a growl as she walks over to him pulling him back to his feet by his collar.

“Do you really have time for this, My other servants about to kill that girl” she hesitates her eyes shifting over towards the door, an unconscious Virginia lay at the golden man’s feet, blades sticking out of each of her limbs. Shit shit shit, if she died then Rider would be pissed, and the Edelfelts would make sure her clan was wiped out, not just that she’s a kid she didn’t deserve to be dragged into this war to begin with. Her fingers released him, his arm glowing again. “Lancer kill that girl by the door” her eyes jerked over she tried to move between the pair the world slowing down around her as she pushes her runes to the limit.

“Lancer I order you to stop” would he heed her command? The blade of the spear flew at them colliding with a similar spear exploding in her face launching her and the wounded Virginia backwards high into the air, grabbing the girl she was struggling to keep her facing away from the ground, those noble phantasms colliding launched them high, from what she could see they were going to land in the park possibly fatally if one of them didn’t have a cushion, well here is hoping her resurrection runes worked positioning herself between the ground and Virginia impact in 3..2..1 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I am aware the last two chapters where pretty short and the next couple might be as well, there is a lot going on in only a few hours of time, most of which is all simultaneously going on so it was easier to break it up by chapter.


	9. Shadow's of a moonless night

Rin pulls at her red coat shut the wind was unusually cold tonight, her school uniform was warmer than her usual red blouse so she chose to keep it on. Behind her she could hear her cousin Luvia walking the woman had a looser fitting but over all warmer blue dress on, over white tights, while wearing a matching cardigan. They were going to enter the Matou manor and find Virginia, the streets were unusually empty and quiet, it was extremely unnerving. _ “Master we are being watched” _Archer’s voice rang out in her mind. She nodded as she kept going, up ahead of her she saw Shirou and Saber walking towards them. His route the Temple her’s the manor and both had to go through that park to get there, if they were being watched odds were this was a trap.

As he fell in behind them “Talk as we walk, we are being monitored.” He nodded as they entered the park square a light flickered in a way that would cause some to think it was a bad bulb but she knew it was from the mana drainage that had been going around town. As it flickered again a figure appeared in it, old, with dark eyes. “Elder Matou I should have known you had a part in this!” she growled through her teeth he chuckled at her condescendingly.

“Zouken? I thought the Matou’s had been defeated?!” The surprised in Shirou’s voice reminded her how naive he really was part of her was glad the other part slightly annoyed that his father seemed to not train him at all.

“I said we lost the battle I never said I was out of the war though” he held up his hand as a woman fell from the sky, _ Caster _ fear hit Rin’s gut, she could see the matou family worms inside of her moving the servants body, but something was off. It looked like the corpse was fighting back slightly.

“Archer!” she cried out as her servant materialized, at the same time Saber tossed her jacket aside summoning her armor and weapon.

“To use the corpse of a heroic spirit you will die for such disrespect!” Sabers threat was one Rin could get behind it was disgusting, but something seemed off there was a weird collar device around her neck and several large worms on the outside of her body. She held out her hand in a gun shape, Luvia doing the same as they prepared their Gandr. Saber had started her charge at Caster as the sound of an explosion coming from the direction of the Church caught everyone's attention, something was flying right towards them, everyone scattered including Caster who flew backwards her body still moving in a rather disturbing manner. Something was very _off_ about the servants movements. The object lands in between their group and Zouken's it was a woman with wine colored hair clutching _Virginia?!_ they both seem to be unconscious and injured. The woman under her appears to be dead, but her hands are glowing wait those symbols Runes of Resurrection!? That’s Bazett it has to be, that's something only a Sealing Designation Enforcer would use. But the woman was barely able to move still coughing up some blood as she tried to check on Virginia.

Before too much more could continue Lancer landed before them, along with the Assassin with the weird arm. Lancer seems to be fighting his own body probably trying to resist a command spell. He slowly and stiffly stalks towards the pair still laying on the ground, his right hand gripping his left as he tries to force his spear to the ground. Shifting her aim she begins firing Grandr after Grandr at him, to her left Luvia joins her as the servant turns. A smile of relief on his face as he lunges them still very slowly but enough that the other two were out of danger, not taking a chance she glances at her cousin they nod and both take off running their limbs glowing as their magical circuits activate.

All hell starts to break loose, Saber lunged at Casters corpse only for Archer to stop her at the last second slicing off Casters arm to keep the dagger she held from touching the woman, then she powered up a massive spell as Zouken begins laughing at them. “Her magic might not bypass a servants magical resistance but how will their masters handle it. That's when a strange unnerving creature that looks like a shadow made up of various cloth strips started to approach them as if floating on air barely above the ground. Before it could get too much closer Caster starts moving but this time her body is fighting the worms aiming the spell at Zouken. Wait she isn't dead, he was controlling her but if she was fighting back odds where she was very much alive, the worms on her began to fall off.

The creature began to extend shadow at them, Caster leaps into the air as Lancer got caught into it he fell to his knees stopping his attack as the weird cloth like tentacles lunged and wrapped around him, pulling him into the creatures main body. Caster landed as it once again shot out its own shadow one at Virginia and Bazett and the other at her…_ SHIT_ before she can even realize what was going on Shirou was shoving her out of the way. Her body hitting the ground as Casters body in a stiff manner uses her magic to pull Bazett and Virginia into the air with her cloak wings.

Getting to her feet she ran towards Shirou as Caster landed near them gasping, violently convulsing the worms inside of her seemingly fighting her movements.. S_he’s still alive?!_ She heard Archer glancing up he slices Zouken’s head off, similarly the shadow disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, Assassin flees.

“Luvia she’s still alive! We need to…” before she could finish an ominous feeling chilled her to the bone turning her head it was Virginia standing, her arm held out towards the servant who was now on the ground convulsing as the worms tried to desperately eat her.

The feeling though she’d never felt this level of malice before, her eyes were barely open, her talon like fingers fully extended. Her gaze shifted from Virginia back to Caster as Saber ran to Shirou’s side, Archer leapt in front of her he’d sensed it like she did something was wrong with her. “Archer don’t kill her, but we need to subdue her something is wrong” The words had barely left her mouth when Virginia’s hand aimed at her instead purple and black mana surrounding her hand before flying straight at the pair of them.

Jumping back she couldn’t think straight why was her girlfriend attacking her, that shadow seemed to be affecting her they needed a way to restrain her. Archers dual swords take the brunt of the spell as it hits him, but even that sent them both flying backwards. Her spell whatever it was, the malice it held the hatred you could taste it in the air.  
  
“Heed my words! My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grails call, and obey my will and reason. Then do as I will and entrust my destiny to your sword!” her eyes briefly shifted over to Caster who’s body still convulsing was reaching for Bazetts hand.  
  
“On my honor as a Caster, I answer your call and recognize you as my master Bazett!” Casters body exploded with mana, the worms falling off of her enmasse as her body quickly repaired itself.

“Caster stop Virginia’s rampage” Rin’s eyes widened as no sooner did those words leave the Bazett's mouth than Casters lips moved at the speed of a blink, Virginia’s body fell to the ground convulsing as her scales and talons began to recede. The ominous feeling faded as well as the girl passed out, the tattoo’s from a few nights ago returning.

Shirou slowly was regaining his consciousness as they all ran over to check on him, Archer knelt down to take his pulse. “He didn’t touch the main body, so he should be fine, he will have symptoms similar to an ague though. We should probably get him back to his house, and we should all retreat for the night. That shadow just made things more complicated.” His tone was terse but not disrespectful she agreed they were not prepared for anymore confrontations tonight, too much changed and too much was changing too fast. She watched him looking around muttering something “I can’t prioritize my own grudges this time round” his gaze went to Shirou then looking away.  
  
“Archer we are heading back, Bazett would you like to come back with us, Lord El-Melloi II wishes to talk to you” the woman looked at her, Caster, then Virginia picking the girl up she simply nodded. “Caster return to spirit form and stay close.” The servant nods as she vanishing into thin air, Rin’s own servant doing the same shortly after.

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He sat back in the chair he’s sat in since arriving at Tohsaka manor smoking his second cigar, something just did not make sense. He understood what Atrum was trying to do, but no matter how he looked at it there is no way his acquaintance was this stupid. There is no way he didn’t know her ancestor wasn’t that dragon, but the problem was even he couldn’t figure out who her ancestor was. It would help if the Edelfelts would let her take her glasses off but according to Luvia while none of them know what her eyes do, they know their extremely dangerous and she has severe trouble controlling them. Whatever he did though was turning the girl into some kind of monster, when she lost control before the level of malice he felt from her exceeded what he felt facing caster in the fourth grail war.

“Sir?” he glanced up Gray was looking at him nervously as she kicked her feet back and forth under the chair, she looked at him concerned, he twisted his cigar out in the ash tray grimacing. Something was wrong but he couldn’t figure out what, That girl had more mysteries than Gray and it was starting to get on his nerves. He couldn’t ask his students to look into her either, until that crest was implanted fully there was nothing to stop another family from abducting her again.

He needed more information, the only way to get it was to hunt down the servant who she was related to.

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Saber saw Sakura waiting for them as they returned, the cold tranquil anger she had simmering under her skin could felt from the manor gate. As she helps Shirou walk closer Sakura ran for them, pulling him free of her grip “Sakura…I’m sorr..”

“Give him here your just hurting him” her arms going limp as she feels her master be pulled free from her grip. The venom behind Sakura’s words stung, she was a failure as a knight, even she knew it. She couldn’t protect Shirou, she couldn’t protect Irisviel, she couldn’t protect anyone. Sullen and defeated she simply walks inside and lays down on the floor of her room. Tonight was the second time Shirou put himself in a life threatening situation and it was the second time she was unable to stop it. Was she just a bad servant?

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Luvia with the help of Archer placed Virginia... no Suryale onto the bed they had prepared she knew the girl was still recovering but this needed to be done. The crest needed to be planted, if the letter from Virginia’s father was anything to go by doing so should stabilize her mana levels or at least allow her to contain them better.

“Lord El-Melloi, Caster, and Ms McRemitz please give Rin and I a hand in getting this crest planted. Then we can plan our next move, as well as try to get our new ally into better condition. No matter how they looked at it the only reason Bazett was still standing was her inhuman pain tolerance and stamina, just from her strained breathing, and pale complexion Luvia could tell she was still pretty badly injured. If they didn’t deal with her injuries properly odds where she might die in two more days.

Removing her top she lays down beside Virginia following the transplanting instructions given to her by both her family and Virginia’s father. She needed to help the girl through their shared crests. Laying their in a loose Camisole, she held her adoptive sisters hand closing her eyes she felt Rin’s hands on her arm, she could smell Bazett standing on the other side near Virginia, and lord El-Melloi II above them.

“Luvia you are going to experience everything she does, are you sure about this?” he asked one final time without opening her eyes but tightening her grip.

“Yes, start the transplantation of her crest. Do not underestimate the Edelfelts” her normal bravado wasn’t there no matter how much she tried to have it deep down she was worried this wouldn’t work. But be damned if she was going to let it fail before she tried. With her last deep breath the world went dark, her memories and Virginia's becoming one.


	10. Clarification

_ Fall, Fall, Fall _Her eyes closed as she fell longer still eventually landing on a small island covered in statues and broken Greek Pillars, damaged stone walkways that were over grown with flowers and grass at her feet. Luvia’s eyes adjusted looking around unsure of what or where she is. Statues of terrified people surround her save for a memorial like statue of three diminutive girls in Gothic Lolita attire stood in the middle, smiling at one another, the two on either end wore pigtails, while the middle girl had a hood and armor on under her cloak with a long braid going down her back. Taking a few steps forward she pauses seeing a man on his knees before the trio’s statue. His giant-esque statue, his old armor, that she swore looked familiar to her, and a long golden sword at his side, his purple hair fluttering in the wind.

“Mother I’m sorry my children died, their children died. It never stops hurting, please if you meet in Hades treat them with love.” His sobs caused the noble womans heart to ache, he rose placing something on the alter before the trio it looks like snake skin… but _ Golden scales?! _ The world around her collapses she falls again as the world around her rebuilds this time a log cabin surrounded by Redwood trees, voices come from the other room.

“It would be safer If I gave her a different name.” The womans voice calls out in a firm manner, Luvia’s feet step closer.

“Suryale…” another woman cries, Luvia keeps walking towards them.

“Sealing her memories and changing her name? Will that be the only way to keep her hidden? To keep her safe?” The mans voice asks, he was the same from the island. If she just got a bit closer she could see who was talking. The world falls away again.

She’s in a local shopping mall, Caster walks beside her she’s not Luvia, she’s Virginia she’s smiling, happily walking with Caster hand in hand. They stop for some ice cream as Caster asks about her day at school, fawning over her. She doesn’t deny she likes it, it feels so real, so natural, Safe. She doesn’t want it to end not after the war, or because of it.

“So Virginia how about we go to the pool this weekend?” Caster asks a wide smile on her faces her eyes beaming with pride and joy as she nods to the request.

“Will Mr Kuzuki join us?” she hopes he would, Mother always seemed happier when he was around, plus he makes her feel safe.

“Of course he will dear”

“I’m glad” her mouth forming a smile a genuine smile it felt so wonderful to do it, she never wanted that misery again.

Light, blinding white light filling her vision, the world dissolving in a hot nuclear fire of light until nothing remains, closing her eyes she cannot take it anymore. She dares a single glimpse and she’s back in Rin’s manor, her hand still gripping her adoptive Sisters. Turning her head to the left the girl was still asleep, turning to the right she saw a cot on the far side of the room with Bazett sleeping, Gray in the far corner, and Rin looking through various books. Now that she thought about it Luvia had never seen Rin before with glasses on, she'd be hard pressed to say they weren't cute though.

“It seems the first one wakes” Casters voice follows her, materializing next to the bed “We should talk.” The servant turns to leave as the bed next to them begins to shift. She was dreaming, from what it looked like was a bit of a nightmare. “She needs time to rest”

She goes to release her hand only to realize she cannot, the girl next to her is clutching it so tightly Luvia cannot free it. “While I would be delighted to talk to you privately as you can see I am unable” the servant stopped nodding as they both looked toward the sound of a heavy book closing.

“So we have gotten her back, but we now have another master and Servant, specifically a master who’s magical circuits will not be able to aid her servant for very long. Frankly she should be dead just from making the pact however.” Rin pokes her head up looking at Caster “you don’t get mana from your master do you?”

The woman shook her head “When I was first summoned I learned that my supply came from a source other than my master. He wished to sacrifice children to fuel his own powers, since it would be three months before the war began” she jerks her head away with a disgusted noise.

“my next question Servants can only be summoned within a week of the war but you where summoned months before hand. Which means without the grail, for someone like Illya that may be possible but for a normal mage it should be impossible.”

“It is impossible Ms Tohsaka” Lord El-Melloi II replied as he entered the room. “Atrum Gallista was barely any better than I am as a Magus. While he was very wealthy and crafty he was part of a newer family. So it is impossible, unless he didn’t summon her.” Everyone’s eyes turn to Virginia then back to Caster.  
  
Before anyone can speak Caster spoke up. “While Atrum summoned me he never supplied the mana, part of his tinkering with Virginia’s body was to allow her to supply my mana as long as I hold a contract with a Master” the servant walked over stroking the girls hair as she slept. “He made me use an innocent child’s power to fuel his greed.”

“But how did he summon you so early?” Rin repeats with annoyance.

“A custom ritual that would have killed the poor girl had she been mortal. I don’t fully understand it either honestly.” Caster sighs.

“So when you killed him you freed the others but took her because?” The Lord of El-Melloi spoke up, his eyes shifting to Luvia then Caster. She agreed with his questions but he was still very crass and starting to get on her nerves.

“Because I needed another master but I had no idea how to undo what he did. She was innocent and he just wanted to use her as a battery and to possibly control the Dragon we slew for the golden fleece. She is and was an innocent girl who had her mother killed for that shoddy Magus. But my only regret is I do not think he’s dead” the room went silent at that.

“How would that be possible?! we saw his burned corpse!” She shouts looking from the servant to her teacher confusion upon her face at the grim possibility her sister wasn’t free yet.

“How do you mean Caster? You are the monster slayer, Medea. How could you have failed to kill him if that was your intent?” Luvia’s eyes narrow as she glances back at her teacher.

“He seemed to have linked himself to her as well, shortly after the first night her body exploded with mana pouring into her as if she had a master, her body instantly healing.”

Rin looks the servant in the eyes as she folds her glasses up placing them gently on the table. “About that I believe you had a different idea did you not Lord El-Melloi II?”

“Yes, its more likely since she’s developed a similar form of inheritance to that of Gray’s. If certain prerequisites are met a servant can start to bleed over into their descendants. Since her relative is in this war, chances are Virginia is affected any time a command spell is used on said servant.” As if on cue Gray enters the room, her hood down, holding tea on a small tray.

“So now we have a different problem to deal with right Caster?” Rin stands as she talks, helping Gray hand out the tea. “Bazett’s injuries were done by a what looks like a bullet that specializes in rewiring magical circuits to no longer work.” She drew brought up a diagram “Honestly until we can undo the damage it would make more sense for you to transfer your contract and we aid her reinforcement from external enchantments rather than let her use her own.” She stops in front of Luvia. “We cannot force this burden on Virginia, nor can we ask Lord El-Melloi II to do it, he doesn’t share the connection you and Virginia do with your crests.”

“You couldn’t get me to do it to begin with, I serve only one lord” he spat under his breath while sipping his tea.

She got it, it made sense to see if she could become a master and then they work together to figure out what is going on in this war. “I’ll do it.” She sighs taking the cup.

“Last two problems, Who is controlling the group of Assassins from the previous war? As they seem to be independent from the one with the weird arm. Second who or what is that Shadow? We should also verify Atrum is dead rather than just assume.” Archer appears finally as he spoke. “I suggest once Bazett wakes we have her transfer her contract to Luvia if possible, if not to Virginia then they take Bazett and investigate Atrum. Rin we investigate the Matou Manor see what we can gather on the Shadow since it seems to be working with Zouken, while Lord El-Melloi and Gray join Shirou and Saber investigating Ryuudo Temple.”

The lord gritted his teeth angrily but nods “I hate this plan but it makes the most sense. Caster, as long as you can supplement her runes and enhancements Bazett should be able to fight without needing her circuits.” He turned to gray stroking her hair gently “are you ready to yell at your ancestor?” she nods with a smile.

“Archer can you go get the package for Virginia? we need to have it ready for her when she wakes.” Her eyes shift to her cousins servant as the girl next to her began to stir she was waking. “We leave tonight”


	11. Can I be that Heartless?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had planned on just jumping to that night with the investigation of Ryuudo temple, but I realized Gray and Saber had pretty much no time together at all so far in the story.

_ Help _ Saber and Shirou, they wanted her to HELP the woman trying to take over her body. The long dead king who stole her face, stole her hair, stole her life. Why in the hell would she EVER help King Arthur?! She knew how the woman treated her own damn son, she killed him with the spear sealed by Add.

“No, I refuse.” She was done being silent and just listening to this conversation. If anything she would prefer to just kill Saber after forcing the former king to stop stealing her body.

“Gray?”

She saw her teacher looking at her but she just shook her head marching heavily towards the door. The hell with this she wasn’t going to let her body be stolen by a dead woman, nor would she help such a person. She kept marching through the snow following the path from the Tohsaka manor towards the house she was shown on the map, where that face stealer and her master where staying.

Her hand presses the door bell her other clutching Add’s Cage, she can feel him nudging her fingers, there was no way he wasn’t aware of how pissed off she was. Glancing up the door opens Shirou standing there holding a bucket with a rag in it, Saber behind him a few feet away. Pushing past him she storms towards Saber her eyes locking onto the womans, the simmering rage inside of her was starting to boil over.

“Aren’t you that professors apprentice?” Shirou asks behind her as her free hand grabs Saber by the collar of her blouse dragging her out into the yard.

“Hey what do you think you are doing?!”

“Shut up and follow me” The rage she needs to hold onto the rage or she will break down crying. As they enter the field she stops staring at the woman mixtures of anger and pain welling up inside her small teenage body. Pulling her hood down she just looks at her “Give me back my face, my hair, MY LIFE!” she feels herself rip Add’s cage free his body mutating in her hands into a scythe.

The woman before her, the dead king, the mighty King Arthur simply stares at her mouth a gape, it made this hurt more.

“who are you?”

What?! She didn’t even known who’s body she was stealing. “Who am I?! Who am I?! You want my name?! Why so you can steal it to?!”

“No.. I”

“SHUT UP!” it finally happened all of her repressed emotions, every bit of anger she restrained in the past was boiling over, she couldn’t take it anymore, she was not going to become Artoria Pendragon!

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Artoria stared at the girl before her, the teenager who had her face, screaming at her. How can she calm her down? “Shirou Stay there, this is my problem I will handle it please just make sure Sakura doesn’t wake up” Something about her scythe was making Saber nervous and she did not have the luxury of doing this in her clothes. Thrusting her arm forward her clothes vanished her armor and combat dress replacing them, the familiar hum of wind around her sword tickling her hand.

“Add, First restraint Rescinded”

First restraint?! Wait what? The wind around her sword was starting to be sucked into the scythe. “Miss please stop this, I don’t know what you're talking about. If I took your face I don't know how, but please stop” their blades collide as she braces against the teens attack.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” The girl was no longer screaming but crying with each strike.

Whatever happened in this girls past had upset her, and made Saber’s chest tighten they looked the same it was unnerving but if she had any hope of stopping this she needed to get the girl to calm down first. Each clash of their blades lit up the sky, Saber was on the defensive refusing to strike, they were still in Shirou’s home and it was almost dawn if she unleashed her Excalibur here she would be risking killing everyone nearby.

However if this kept up much longer there was the very real risk of Sakura waking up, so this needs to end, with the next block she steps forward into the girls space hooking her foot behind the teens before pulling it forward knocking her back. With her free hand she grabs the scythe pulling it free from her grip tossing it and Excalibur to the ground next to them, moving as quickly as she can to grab the girl before she hits the dirt.

“Will you calm down please” begging as Saber pulls the girl into a tight hug, holding her there like she wished she’d held Mordred, her daughter. Her armor vanishes slowly under the hug till she’s back in her normal clothing, refusing to release the hug. “I have no wish to steal your life, please just tell me you name. Let me make up for this dishonor.” Her words but a whisper in the child's ear.

“Gray…”

The girls sobs made the knot in Sabers stomach that much more intense, yet she refuses to let go, this girl needed to let it out. “Gray, If I stole your face, I beg your forgiveness but I need to know what happened.”

“When you were summoned 10 years ago her face became yours, when you got summoned this war her hair became yours.”

Turning around she stares at the man talking, his words don’t make sense though nothing she did should have stolen a child’s face. This did not make any sense.

“I never thought I would see you again.” The disgust on his face was enough to cause her to release Gray willing her sword back to her hand as she aims it at the man.

“You were with Rider last war weren’t you?”

“That is correct, I hoped I would never see you again. Servant of the Einzburn’s”

How dare he call her that, it wasn’t worth it. Excalibur vanishes into the wind as she stares the man down, beside him was Luvia, and Virginia. Wait a minute why did Virginia look so much like Rider, her eyes return to Gray, then back to Virginia. “Why does Virginia look so much like Rider?”

“Because their related, and a deranged Ritual made Virginia take on her appearance, Gray is related to you, and a similar Ritual was done to her” his tone was cold, was he always this arrogant? Wasn’t he a coward in the last war?

Saber’s gaze turns back to Gray who was wiping silent tears from her eyes. “Gray, is this true?” The girls simple nod was making her want to puke, her descendant was being used for some weird ritual?! Wait does that mean Mordred survived?! Was Guinevere pregnant when she had exiled her?! She wasn’t sure how but she was on her knees retching hard over the ground as the images of her imagination flooded her mind.

Away she could barely think of anything else as she limps towards the Dojo closing the door behind her, she was a heroic spirit but here she was having a major panic attack over discovering she had a descendant. To make matters worse now she was more conflicted about her wish. Undoing her rein would remove the curse done to the poor girl but it might also erase her from existence, could she be that heartless?!

The door behind her slides open her mind snapping out of its confusion, eyes falling on her guest it was Luvia of all people, her arms crossed in front of her deep blue dress. The woman closes the door behind her stopping just long enough to take off her shoes before approaching the servant.

“Artoria Pendragon is meeting one of your descendants that terrifying?” her tone was bitter, borderline malicious yet Saber could tell from the tone it was out of protectiveness not hatred.

“I..I didn’t know I had any… Mordred…I killed my own child.., My wife she was without child I thought.. Or is Gray one of Morrigans?!” she couldn’t stop her quivering voice the images flashing through her mind, her child surviving the holy spear?! Images of pregnant Guinevere flood her mind, but that shouldn’t be possible either the only child that came from Merlins magic was Mordred, she never managed to get Guinevere pregnant to her knowledge.

“I do not care which member of your family gave birth to Gray, what I care about is undoing this curse that is turning her into you. But at the moment sadly that isn’t a priority, in case you forgot we have a Shadow that can eat servants, an undying Magus, and more servants than should be allowed in this war.” Saber blinks as Luvia cups her face with both hands so their eyes meet. “I will find a way to undo this, for now you need to act like a proper ancestor and make this up to her.

“I..I understand..” Shaking her head Saber knelt down in her normal spot, she needs time to think on what she just heard. The door opens again closing shortly after Saber doesn’t glance up though until she sees a lily white dress kneel before her. Glancing up she sees a stern set of purple eyes staring at her. “Sakura?”


	12. Shadows of our ancestors before us.

**Earlier that day**

Shirou sat in the park thinking to himself, the can of coffee in his hand was heavy, the night before still weighing on his mind. His ‘lunch’ with the wars overseer had killed any appetite he might have. He glances up as snowflakes fall around him, the coffee bitter on his tongue.

“You know it’s starting to snow.”

He glances into his peripheral seeing Rin sitting opposite to him, their backs facing one another.

“Now then let me confirm Sakura is staying at your place?”

“Yeah she is” he sips his can of coffee again.

“Good, that’s reassuring.” She pauses looking up “This way I won’t have to worry about her seeing anything she shouldn’t have to see.”

That comment unsettled him knowing the implications behind her words, he simply grunts and nods still facing away from her.

“I’m going after Zouken, so I’m heading there now.”

“By yourself?” he glances back slightly.

“I have a history with the Matou. It’s fine, leave the battle between archaic mages to me”

The images from ‘lunch’ all those unconscious people who were left near death, Mabou tofu it looked just like guts, the gore from all those who died, all those bodies burned. Why did people like Kotomine exist? Why did he have urges to kill that fake priest. All Shirou knew is he was getting disturbed by how dark his mind was getting lately. Taking a deep breath he saw her smile appear in his mind, Sakura he would be a hero of justice just for her.

“Hey Emiya what about you? What’s your plan?”

Hatred so much hatred, the images of death and destruction that shadow had forced into his mind refusing to go away. Every time he blinks he can see it, the burning fires from ten years ago, the bodies of his parents, a small girl being violated by carnivorous worms. Why could he do nothing was he so useless?! The sound of the can in his hand being crushed by his grip brings him back to reality. “I’m going after that thing we saw.” He glares at the tree before him as if it bore all the worlds evils. “I can’t just let it run wild. Innocent people here are becoming victims”

“I see, Then we will keep the truce between us going for now.”

Shirou glances back his eyes widening in the process “A..Are you sure?”

“Yeah I can’t let it run loose either. That said don’t be reckless, play it safe”

She was right he couldn’t go rushing in like he usually did. “Right”

“Last thing, after my group has a talk, I’ll call you, I’m sending you reinforcements” she spun on heel so she was facing him as he turned to face her as well. “No arguments”

Not that she was going to get any from him, but he hopes she is bringing reinforcements as well since she’s going deep into the Matou manor. “I understand, be careful Tohsaka.”

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**Shortly before nightfall.**

Luvia looks down at the new command seals on her hand, flexing her fingers slightly as she does so. While Rin and Caster made a good point with Bazett’s injuries she should be using as little magic as possible, she did not quite understand why they picked her instead of Virginia since the girl was already the source of Casters mana. The way Caster explained it as something about Virginia’s birth that makes her unable to be a master under the Fyuuki system, but under different circumstances she could be one.

Well she was a master now, no two ways about it. They need to focus on their next move. Now that Virginia was up and moving around, and Bazett was stable enough to fight again, albeit with external magical aid. They should verify the death of Atrum.

Looking around the house Luvia found her servant and Sister in the basement Magic workshop of Tohsaka manor. Virginia was beside Caster practicing a spell Luvia had never seen before, frankly it looked like magic from fairy tales with how quickly it was being cast. Large shards of ice forming seemingly in thin air quickly growing to the size of a doorway.

“That’s it keep focus just like I taught you, now imagine the shape you want it to take”

Standing in the doorway of Rin’s basement workshop, Luvia kept watching the two as the large block of ice began to take the shape of Caster, and her former master cuddling with Virginia’s head resting on Caster’s lap. From the angle the memory she was crafting into the ice was of them watching television.

As the ice finishes, Caster let out a gasp that caught the elder Edelfelt off guard. From the womans face, it clearly looked like she was touched by this statue.

“It..it’s very beautiful dear.” Caster’s words break as the servant pulled Virginia into a warm hug.

A smile was forming on Luvia’s lips watching the scene, Caster clearly loved her sister considering the myth of Medea and how the story of her killing her children went, this was a total reversal to how she thought she would act. But ever since they rescued her, Caster had been just as Rin’s reports had stated treating her with love and affection.

“That’s very Impressive Virginia, is that something from the age of the gods?” She turns her gaze towards the pair curiously watching them with the same smile on her face, arms crossed before her.

“Something along those lines, She has two affinities though one isn’t very practical so I was focusing on teaching her how to use her water affinity, Master.”

“Virginia, did Magdalene ever teach you our jewel magic?”

“Yes she taught me a few things, and how to do some rituals without the use of my eyes”

That’s interesting, though it would make sense if her eyes were really unable to be shut off and as dangerous as they were warned, it makes sense she would want to keep them sealed. So teaching her to cast without eyesight would be necessary.

“Virginia what is the ability of your Mystic eyes?”

The girls reaction was nothing like Luvia expects, her newly found sister flinches at the question refusing to budge.

Caster walks towards her massaging the taller girls shoulders as she calms down, Luvia’s thrown off by this, the way she acts it’s like she’s scared of her eyes.

“I promised grandmother I wouldn’t say unless she was defeated or until she said it was safe to.”

So the servant Rider asked her to keep them hidden, odds are revealing it would out who the servant was, thus tilting the match unfairly against her.

“Caster do you know what they do?”

“Yes master, but I refuse to say”

“I could order you with a Command spell, but I’m not stupid like Atrum, I am also not about to damage the trust I’m trying to build with my sister. So I need you both to promise me something, if an emergency that can only be prevented by the use of your eyes happens, you will use them. Other than that I will not ask until you are ready to show me. Is that a fair deal Virginia?”

“Deal, Sister.” those words brought the smile back to Luvia’s face. Sister, that was a word she liked being called.

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It was getting close to nightfall. Shirou’s group should be leaving now if her clocks were correct for once in this war. Honestly Rin just wants to know where the hell the other group is, Luvia’s group haven’t left yet, that much she knows for sure with the wards and spells guarding her house. They’re probably still in the workshop downstairs, if it wasn’t for the fact Virginia was now officially an Edelfelt heir_, __not that she wasn’t a member before her kidnapping,_ if it wasn’t for that she would have kicked Luvia out already. Nouveau Rich bitch was now a damned master on top of forcing herself into Rin’s own home.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs she finds all three of them standing near a puddle of water that was being mopped up by Caster who was smiling happily. “Suspicious…” Rin whispers as she watches Virginia and Luvia arm wrestling on a nearby table. She was a little shocked to see Luvia losing. That was not something she had been expecting to see. Placing the package they had received a while ago on a nearby table she watches Luvia’s arm strain against Virginia’s before finally hitting the table.

Slinking over she couldn’t help but rub it in Luvia’s face with her shit eating grin that her girlfriend beat the rich bitch. “Where is that famous strength of yours Lu-vi-a?” Singing happily as she pushes Virginia towards the box. “Ginny, this is for you, it’s from your father”

They had both been very curious what was in the box, however the spell on it was restricted to a specific person to be able to open it. As Virginia reaches for the case Rin bites her lower lip, nervously watching as the box opens, inside was an ancient dress folded very neatly and delicately along side two jewelry boxes. The dress is very pretty, making Rin feel a bit jealous. The outfit while ancient, was made of very fine hand spun fabrics, trimmed with silk lining, that looks like a cross between a white Gothic Lolita dress and a Grecian priestess gown.

Rin watches as Virginia opens the first box, inside is a set of earrings, golden tusk like jewels hang from each set. Rin watches excitedly, she honestly can’t get over how simple yet elegant they were. Honestly she was convinced from the look of them they had to be pure gold. Yet the shimmer they had, was strangely magical, not that she would be caught dead saying such a sappy thing.

Placing the box down Virginia opens the next one which held a set of bangles, that were connected to the charm that fit on the back of the hand, with rings and chains connecting to each finger of the wearer. There was a set of these for each hand.

“Alright I will admit. I’m jealous. those are very pretty. There is a note there Virginia” Rin smiles pointing at the letter. “I’ll be right back I need to check my jewels” With that she turns around heading back up to her bedroom counting out her gems, Zouken wasn’t someone to be stingy with but she also needs to make sure she has enough later on. Zouken seems to rely on his worms so something that could harm them. Jewels that have explosive runes, several defensive ones, and… her eyes fell onto the crystal Caster gave her, one of concentrated pure mana.

_ “Archer do you have everything you need?” _

_ “Yes Master, calm your nerves, we will do this.” _Even telepathically he was still a bit full of himself. But she had to acknowledge he was right. She was Rin Tohsaka the best magus in town, and Zouken made a dangerous enemy going after Virginia.

Descending the stairs she stops at the door pulling her coat on as Virginia and Luvia walk towards her, Bazett behind the pair doing her best Terminator 2 walk, as Virginia had previously called it. Rin could only guess that Caster was in spirit form, yet her attention was drawn to Virginia. The girl was wearing the jewelry and dress from the box, and it left Rin speechless, the layered sections of the dress, the semi translucent shawl that covered her shoulders decorated with small golden symbols, her hands jingling slightly with the bracelets and hand decorations.

“Virginia.. You look stunning.” Rin really was at a loss for words, Virginia’s dress had a high open hem on the left side, allowing her leg to tastefully tease all who looked upon her. It was light purples and whites like something one would expect a goddess to wear, and well it fit her very well.

“These are mystic codes from Magdalene, tools left behind by my ancestors and the jewelry is sentient.”

Standing their biting her lower lip like a playful idiot Rin was caught off guard when Virginia kisses her “Come back safe, that place is hell” With that Luvia, Bazett and Virginia left out the door, Rin standing there her eyes dumbfounded. _ When did Virginia get so brave? _

“Lets go archer”

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The light snow falling, left a soft chill in Sabers scarf as they approach Ryuudo temple. Sakura’s words still burning in her skull from earlier. It was her fault he was injured, it was her fault Gray’s face was being stolen, it was her fault Camelot went through the darkness it did. Her fault, her fault, her fault. Irisviel dying was her fault, if she had just been stronger she could have withstood her previous masters command seal. Yet now the son of the man she served before was her master. Looking up she saw the gates to Ryuudo temple before her, police tape blocking the entrance. Light from the ever setting sun bouncing off the tape and snow under her boots.

Turning to face her master as they pass through the gate, her gut tightening as she looks into his eyes. The memory of their first night together and his intestines flying out of his body flashes before her eyes, affirming her resolve. “Sakura has given me a bitter pill to swallow about last night. I admit it was completely my fault that I was unable to protect you.”

“Hey I collapsed because I went off half cocked.”

Looking up at the sky with a heavy sigh “the problem is, my duty is to protect you, however I can’t restrain you from joining me in battle.” Sabers body warms as her clothes begin to dissolve, allowing her armor to replace them “That said I will fight with you, and protect you Shirou that is my mission.” Turning to head towards the temple, the memory from the dojo surfacing. Sakura’s scornful face, the barely contained anger behind her eyes staring into Sabers very spirit core. “…and my promise to Sakura”

Out of the corner of her eye Saber sees Gray and the man who used to be Iskandar’s master in the previous war, wandering towards the far side of the compound. Splitting up makes sense and was the most logical strategy however they need to be careful, while splitting up could stop an ambush it can also be used to make one.

Something was off, even if the conflict here had ended a few days ago it was too empty, not a single police officer or even a familiar… _ Blast it! _ Her grieves dug into the wood as she peels around a corner. The sound of Shirou slamming inside of the main building. _ No, no, no, no not again! _

There he was her opponent, his long black cloak and skull mask reminded her very much of the former war. “Shirou Stay there its Assassin!”

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Chitter, Chitter, Chittering it sent unnerving chills up Shirou’s spine as worms fell from the ceiling surrounding him. The hairs on his neck began standing up, his stomach doing jumps and knots remembering the sound coming from Caster the other night, it was the same sound these worms were making.

“Like moths to a flame.” _ That voice?! _It only makes sense it would be that scum bag, from the little Rin had told him, these worms were not just forced on Caster but Virginia as well, yet for some reason that girl kept most of the night hidden from even Rin.

“Zouken…” his feet move on instinct his muscles tensing as he grabs a wooden sword from the wall. It’s smooth polished handle flexing against his ever tightening grip. “…Matou” Sakura cried because of this man, was anywhere going to be safe for her, or would he have to kill every last Matou to do it? _“_ _ Can you really do that? Will you give up your dream for her?” _

“What do you plan to do with that stick?” Worms lunge towards him, his eyes locking quickly on each one batting them away with a swing. Disgusting, just what the hell where these things.

“Trace ON” The stick between his fingers heated up as his mind and body went through his practiced and painful movements reinforcing the wooden sword. This was bad even with a weapon he could only be on the defensive, Hopefully saber was alright but…

The first bite hurt like hell, the wound wasn’t any more pleasant one of those worms just took a chunk out of his arm, literally ate it. Another sharp pain like a knife ripping through flesh in his lower leg, with a hard kick he manages to dislodge the worm but this was getting insane, there had to be a way to get rid of all of these worms. Each one he dislodged another took its place, what the hell was going on, why where there so damn many of these things?!

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Sounds of blades clashing and the wind stirring drew Gray towards the fighting, while she had left her Teacher safely at Caster’s old home, before her Gray saw Saber chasing after Assassin. He was cornered on a balcony overlooking some water, that darkness in the water though. Wait is that what they had been warned about oh no Saber was about to.

“Add First restraint rescinded” Running as fast as she could to line herself up she felt the full force of Sabers wind, slashing and ripping at her clothes and skin. She didn’t care she needs to absorb more mana, That thing was approaching fast, and Saber was now directly in its path after Assassins kick causes her to swap places with him. _ No no no no no _ _,_ she had to try.

“Gray. Rave.” Their blades clash again, _ Focus, no matter how much you hate her you still need her. _ “Crave. Deprave.” This wasn’t faker it was a real servant, she could do this.

“Gray Run!” Saber was screaming at her,_ why?! Why did she care? Why were her own legs shaking so much . _

“Grave me.”

“Please Gray Run, I cannot bare anymore deaths, please! Run Find Shirou!”

“Grave for y..” She wasn’t sure what happened mid mantra the wind around her got to the point she was wondering if this was what a hurricane felt like, the thought however was interrupted as her feet lift off the ground and she’s flung backwards into the wall behind her. Pain flooding every nerve in her skull and back, what seems like an eternity of pain lasts fleeting seconds, as the world goes dark.

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“Can you sense it young master? Can you tell your servant has been annihilated from this world?”

No Saber was the best, there was no way she was beaten?! But his command seals they weren’t on his hand, _oh no, Shit shit shit. “Will you sacrifice everything? Including your ideals?” Shut up, shut up shut up!_

“Trace on, Reinforcing structure” his blade slams into the ground with a resounding echo the worms covering his body and around him blow back with his furious anger in the process his sword shatters, into a cloud of splintered wood. She was dead, it was his fault, there was no way he was letting Zouken escape. _ Sorry Rin looks like I’m going to take your kill. _

_ I’m going to kill you Zouken! _ His Rage was like a drug filling his veins with the power he needed. Yet the kick to his face, the Servant before him. That fragile anger formed from rage dwindled all at once, the only thought going though his mind was Shit.

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_ Faster, I need to move faster _ _._ She could smell assassin getting closer to Shirou, he could mask his presence but no one could hide from her senses. The sound of wind being cut from knives flying through the air pushes her faster, kicking the door aside. Her Chain nails slither blocking each thrown dirk. It was no longer time for her to watch, her body manifesting before Shirou, pulling herself to full height, Even blindfolded those around her could feel her glare. She needs to end this quickly.

Rushing at him, he became completely overwhelmed by her speed, each blow she made left a small shock wave that reverberates through the room. Assassin kept trying to recover but she had no plans on giving him that chance, slamming her Chain nail into his arm she begins to spin him. It isn’t hard for her to feel Shirou’s eyes on her as she finally throws the pathetic servant through the hole she made upon entering. Enough was enough if Assassin got up again she was going to rip his head off. Rider felt a sigh of relief when he returned to spirit form and left. Turning she can help but smile while Shirou reeks of fear and adrenaline, he seems unharmed, Sakura will be happy. “You’re unharmed. Good” Letting herself return to spirit form she looks up at the sky her stomach turning over in knots.

_ “Master, I kept him safe, May I take care of something?” _

_ “Is it her Rider?” _

_ “Yes Master, something feels off I want to check on her please” _

_ “Go ahead.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how long this one took to come out, I rewrote it like six times. That and it was originally supposed to be chapter 11.


	13. Memories of a Forgotten promise

Caster relaxes in the backseat of her Masters car as Bazett drives the four of them towards that shoddy Magician’s workshop, her hands gently stroking Virginia’s hair as the girl rests her head in Casters lap. Glancing down, a smile forms across her lips as she plays with the teens braids gently.

“Caster, If I may ask. You do not act anything like the Legends say Medea should act. If possible can we hear your side of the story?”

Biting her lip it took all Caster had to not snap at the request, she knew it wasn’t in malice or an accusation but still it hurt to remember. Yet if her legend just refers to her treachery and how her supposed companions thought of her it made sense they’d like to know.

“I suppose that is a fair request Master, what would you like to know?” please don’t ask about the murdering children bit…

“I suppose the first part should get out of the way, did you do as the legends say?”

Well that is a very round about way of asking if she was the Traitorous witch. Scowling internally she strokes Virginia’s ear she answers. “Yes, but I was forced to do everything except murder Jason and his children. But by that point he deserved it.”

“Forced? Mother what do you mean?”

Glancing down she sees Virginia’s prismatic eyes looking up at her curiously, with the child like innocence she came to expect from the girl. “I was forced to love Jason, Aphrodite used her divine powers to curse me into loving him, since my father refused to budge. That curse made me have a dangerous level of affection for him. I couldn’t think straight, all I wanted was him, I cut my brother up, I poisoned, I killed, I ran from home, I was even cast out by my own compatriots. Everyone I knew was disgusted at my behavior and how vile a person I became from that artificial love forced on my young mind. When he cast me aside, the curse was broken, at that point I was alone. My father disowned me, my brother I don’t know if he was alive or dead, my friends hated me, my aunt refused to speak with me, my cousin was dead by Theseus. I was angry, alone, and taken advantage of by that hateful goddess discarded after being used for my skills, and in bed.” She stops fighting back the anger welling up inside of her, she didn’t even realize by now Virginia was clutching her hand, until the familiar warmth started to penetrate her gloves. “So what did I have left? I took from him everything he took from me. I killed his wife, I killed his children. I dragged him and his blasted ship out to sea and sank them to the bottom of the ocean after leaving him bleeding out on deck.” She felt arms wrap around her as the teen next to her pulls her into a tight hug.

Luvia by this point turns around from the passenger seat looking back at her. “So wait the minotaur was your cousin? That would mean Circe was your..”

“Aunt, that is correct. The reason I did not just let Virginia loose with the other hostages is she reminds me of him, innocent and in a world where not many would understand her.” She pulls Virginia closer with a smile. “That and I never got to have children of my own, that part of the myth was false. Also let me make something clear, while my aunt may have liked the name Witch, call me that and I will kill you without hesitation, same with calling me Traitorous”

“I’m glad you are on our side Caster.” Luvia shifting her position so she was looking at Virginia next. “So what was in the letter?”

“A ritual, it has the final steps to completing the requirements of the Divine Gaes. We should probably do that soon.”

Squeezing the girls hand she smiles softly. Her one wish was to get a family that wouldn’t abandon her, now if she had to wish for anything it would be to have more time with Virginia, Get Souichiro-sama back, really that is all she can even think to want now. Get back what was stolen from her, yet could they even win? Well she was going to damn well try they have a goddess on their side after all. “There is an abandoned manor not far from here”

“An excellent idea, Bazett would you kindly pull over?”

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** Matou Manor. **

It had been a few hours since grandfather left. Yet all Shinji can think about is how much his irritation is building. That slut of a sister refuses to come home so he can’t get a decent fuck, that foreign bitch hasn’t been to school since grandfather lost her. It was a shame he really was looking forward to fucking her but noooo she escaped. Then there was Tohsaka, how dare she raise a hand to him, how DARE she hit him. His hands kept closing around the chemical vial, it was supposed to react to his mana but nothing, absolutely fucking nothing. Not a god damn thing, WHY did it refuse to work.

Glancing up he hears the sound of movement in the hall outside his door. Carefully pulling his door open he sees Rin Tohsaka carefully walking down the hall towards his door. Perfect, I knew she couldn’t resist me. Pushing the door open he saunters towards her hands in pockets, his best playboy smile. “Tohsaka I knew you couldn’t resist me”

Her hands grab his throat pushing him into the wall. “Shut up Shinji, if you were smart you’d get out of town so you aren’t killed in this war.” That look on her face, she was looking down on him. AGAIN.

“Why because I’m weak?” keep that disgust in check Shinji, remember you might still get her.

“No because you aren’t a mage, slapped Sakura, and claimed to have had your way with my girlfriend. Give me one reason to not Kill you here”

Sakura, Sakura, Sakura Why the fuck did everyone care about her?! He was the Matou heir, but nooo everyone cares about Fucking Sakura. “Who do you think you are talking to Rin Tohsaka!” his anger was at the breaking point, forget this bitch. Slamming his head into hers he tries to kick her aside only to be thrown back by her servant materializing.

“I think I’m talking to a coward who’s scared. This is your last chance. LEAVE Fuyuki and Sakura forever. Do that and I will let you live.”

Shinji’s eyes widen as her finger gun aims at him, a black and red Gandr shot forming at the tip, he knew what it was and well her servant looks just as disgusted at him. Why? Why? Why? Why was everyone treating him like he was inferior, he wasn’t Emiya a failure, a tool, someone easily taken advantage of. He was Shinji Fucking Matou, but no everyone treats him like shit. In that moment his face finally cracks tears streaming down his cheeks as Rin walks over him firing a warning shot at the wall next to him.

“Run Shinji, you aren’t like Shirou, you’re just useless.” Shirou? He wasn’t like Shirou?! Of course he fucking wasn’t! He was better than him, yet Sakura, that foreign bitch, even Tohsaka all was Shirou!? What the FUCK! Fine! Fine! You think Shirou is such hot shit I’ll prove you wrong Tohsaka!

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After leaving that sniveling coward to his own, Rin finally manages to find the entrance to the Matou Magic workshop entrance. “Archer be on alert, we do not know what we will find in there.”

“Just try to keep a level head master, no matter what you see, if we don’t find Zouken we get out.”

He didn’t need to remind her, she is damn well aware of the situation. Shaking her head she takes off down the stairs into the workshop, what she sees however sends chills down her spine. Two rooms, that's it a room full of books with a Ritual circle and then the training room which was nothing more than a pit filled with Carnivorous worms, insects and a few cages along the far wall.

“What the hell is this!?” the sound of the worms is making her stomach lurch, she is dangerously close to vomiting. This was supposed to be a training room so what in the hell was with all these carnivorous worms?! Wait a minute those worms she knew those worms! Those things made up Zouken's body, but their shape, she was going to be sick.

“Master. Servants are enclosing on our location, I suggest we go now.”

“Right” Not needing to be told twice, nor wanting to stay near those disgusting things longer than needed, she takes off running. He wasn’t here, it was a trap and if there were multiple signatures odds were it was those assassins again.

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** Former Edelfelt Manor **

It was strange to be back in this manor, the very place Rider had taken her before after rescuing her from the Matou manor. Luvia mentioning this was where Magdalene and her sister lived during the third war made it seem strangely fitting. They were sitting in the basement, in Magdalene’s former workshop from decades past, in the middle of a ritual circle Virginia just lay there in her under garments looking up at Caster and Luvia, who both look equally worried. The note did not really clarify what obtaining Maggie's memories would do, nor what completing this requirement would do for Virginia herself.

Caster, staff in hand, gave Virginia a warm smile as she directs Luvia where to place each gem in the circle. With the last piece finally in place Luvia strips down as well, laying down next to the girl. “Caster. When you are ready please begin”

Her hands glow brightly as she begins chanting in quick succession of an ancient language Virginia could barely catch syllables of. The circle around them starts to glow a bright blue as the air warms and fills with an ozone like stench. “Winds of time, Realms of an age forgotten, to the gods once abandoned, Carry now the burden. Speak ye who shall take thy burden.”

“I Luviagelita Edelfelt take thy burden.”

“Speaketh the name of the chosen” Caster continues her words shifting between English and the ancient language as quickly as Virginia can blink. The light around them increases in intensity becoming all but blinding, as if she was staring at the sun at noon.

“Suryale Edelfelt is the chosen, grant her the bounty that is hers.” Luvia replies with a commanding fervor that caught Virginia and Caster slightly off guard not that either would allow themselves to flinch with a divine spell being cast.

“Speaketh your name child!”

With that it was her turn to finally say her part. The air around her is all but electrified and ,frankly, a bit terrifying. “I Suryale, Daughter of the last living god accept my duty” With that line the room fills with light so bright no shadows can be seen. It was as if divine gateways to heaven had opened around them. Yet her body something in it felt strange, the seals Caster put on her body broke, her scales flood her arms and legs, Talons emerging as well, her back hurt, it hurt so much, as if something was trying to push its way out from under her skin. She felt her body lift into the air skin ripping apart on her back. Wings…she had wings and a…tail?! The light slowly recedes and its then that she notices Caster, Luvia, and Bazett staring at her. She was floating in the air, her wings keeping her afloat.

“Well I guess I can fly now, but these thing are kinda huge.. Mother is there a way you could modify my mystic code to hide this um..appearance so I can walk around in public?”

Luvia was leaving the room, her eyes glazing over as she sat down in a chair still in her underwear. “I..I’ll be right back” is all she says.

“No the mystic code I gave you is simply armor, but I had been working on a code that would work the same as my seals, basically turning off specific circuits to force parts of your body into tattoo like images similar to the other spell. But you will not have access to everything unless you remove the code.”

“I’m fine with that, Rin explained to me a few nights ago how I should consider something like this since my monstrous parts coming out an random times isn’t good for keeping up the secrecy.

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Pain why was her head filling with so much pain.

_ Knocking on the door, she felt irritation, what was the heir of the Phamrsolone family thinking calling her out to the middle of upper state New York. Better question is how did they find her, she left her own family years ago, after doing her duty and giving her family a child. But no she still had her crest, her child just inherited her younger sister’s, after the whole marrying Tohsaka family nonsense. I mean what the hell was she thinking? Marrying a rival clan from japan! At least she had the decency to surrender her crest. Yet what was a group of nobles from Europe doing in the United States? The better question is why did they contact her? _

_ The door opens before Magdelene, causing her to grimace. She didn’t like the possible implications of what could happen once she steps inside. She was not expecting a giant of a man to answer the door however. Walking in, she kept her eyes peeled to her surroundings making sure she knew each exit. She may be old but dammit if she was going to let some scrappy upstart family kill her. _

_ As they enter the main room, she sees the current heir of the Phamrsolone family sitting in a recliner holding a toddler in her arms. The woman’s light brown hair went way past her shoulders, and as usual with most Mages who held them her mystic eye was hidden behind an eye patch. _

What was going on, these, were these Magdalene's memories?! Luvia clutches her head trying to tune out the noise behind her, something about hiding Virginia’s wings with a mystic code. She was a woman of noble birth, she should not be having such an uncouth headache.

_ “Thank you for coming here Lady Edelfelt, this was urgent and we would like to ask you something but I hope you will say yes.” _

_ She stares at the significantly younger girl, how old was she eighteen twenty at most? She really had no idea. The Phamrsolone family were notoriously youthful looking for most of their life, Genetic baby face. ‘Lucky’ she guesses with a sigh. Her eyes fall onto the child in the girls arms, its eyes were covered in a blind fold, but other than that the child was dressed in a simple pink gown and was happily sleeping in the womans arms. _

_ The giant approaches from behind kneeling next to the younger woman, something about him made Magdelene want to bow before him, with tremendous effort she refused, magical compulsion was something she trained years to defend against. Especially with how the Barthomeloi faction trying to use its various members to force her to pick a side in their childish factional politics. _

_ “You have ten minutes, then I’m leaving.” This was frankly insulting. They were in a god damned farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, in a country notorious for religious extremism. _

_ “Did you hear about the hospital statues incident in Greece?” _

_ “You mean the one three years ago where several doctors went missing all that was found were statues that look just like them in the delivery room, while the patient was gone?” _

_ “Yeah. That one, see this child here is three years old.” _

_ Wait, the child was clearly wearing a blindfold designed to block mystic eyes, and they are asking about it, as well as dragging her out to the middle of nowhere. “Let me guess next you’re going to tell me that girl has Mystic eyes of petrification. Is this a joke to you? Those eyes do not exist! It was already deemed that a heretic used petrification magic to make those statues.” _

_ “I am not trying to insult you Lady Edelfelt, but this isn’t a joke. This child has Mystic eyes of Petrification. Specifically she has Cybele” _

_ “Let us say I believe your childish claims. Explain to me why you called me out here, even if this child has such Mystic Eyes, your clan would be trying to implant its crest already. Those eyes alone could make your family have even higher standing in the Mages Association. But the reason I still don’t believe you is, those eyes belong to the legendary Gorgon Medusa, so unless you some how managed to find her head without dying there is no way she has those eyes.” _

_ The giant who had been quiet until this point finally spoke. He easily was seven feet tall, dwarfing both rather short women. “They are real, and you are correct, however you forgot the third alternative: They are inherited from her family.” _

_ “I already ruled that out, Medusa’s child was a flying horse. Her human son died along with his children and grand children. The gorgons have no descendants and even if they did, Greek hero’s would have killed them long before now.”  
_

_ “Lady Edelfelt” The Giant approaches her kneeling down as if he was going to propose. “I am Chrysoar, that girl is my child, and we want you to adopt her into your family.” _

_ Wait what?! How would that make the girl any less of a target, and doing such an uncalled for act would draw the exact kind of attention she’s actively trying to avoid from the Mages association. “Why my family? And why did you approach me rather than my daughter?” _

_ “A sixty year old Magus who survived the third grail war, has actively managed to avoid the Barthomeloi clan who have been pushing to get you into their sect of Mages Association politics. Your genius is only matched by your sisters, but your determination and skill is second to none, that we would ask. Your family has much more sway in the association than mine does as well Lady Edelfelt. Finally because I want to keep this child as far away from my parents as possible.” The determination behind the young girls eyes was admirable, Magdelene lets out a heavy sigh as she approaches. _

_ “I will adopt her, however I expect you to find her when she’s finally in the Mages Association, and for you to tell her who her mother was. I also expect you to explain to her how a god got summoned from the reverse side of the world to this one, And finally I expect you to assist her. I’m not stupid I know odds are this is a suicide mission, but I will raise her to be a proper Edelfelt noblewoman, but I do not want answers.” _

_ The giant stood again lifting the child from the smaller womans arms, Carrying her over to Magdelene. “Suryale we love you, now go with this nice woman, she will raise you from now on.” Handing him to her the girl squirms slightly to be put down, Magdelene does so as the girl crawls over to play with some toys. _

_ “I’m going to have to change her name for safety sake.” Suryale was very pretty but she didn’t like the fact she knew this child had a target on her back, eyes like that are so rare, it makes sense they dragged her to the middle of nowhere, small community means outsiders stand out more. _

_ “Her name is Suryale” the younger woman mopes softly. _

_ “Magdelene, I would like to put you under a divine Gaes, should something happen to you it will insure you family can keep your end of the bargain. Plus I can use it to seal most of the girls Divinity, not all of it but most, it will allow her to stay hidden till she’s strong enough to use a crest safely. This should also help you keep her hidden, for as long as possible, Lady Edelfelt.” _

_ “Very well.” _

The pain finally secedes as she rubs her temples softly. So Virginia’s got a connection to the Phamrsolone family, but odds were she was a child of that family, from the way that woman acted. This was getting more complicated than she cares for, and their still stuck in the middle of a grail war with some weird shadow monster eating people. Walking over she pulls her clothing on, and helps Virginia get her mystic codes back on, as Caster sits in the corner working on the necklace she had been carrying with her.

“Suryale, your Divinity should be fully awakened now, once that mystic code is finished we will head to the workshop.”

“Sooo her name is Suryale, isn’t that cute myself?” wait where did that voice come from?

“Well she is rather cute, she’s still an ox woman like Medusauseless, however she does fit our dress much better that our little sister. That and she carries our name myself” Another voice wait, were these coming from the jewelry Suryale was wearing?!

“Tell us blond Ox woman how does it feel to be in the presence of superior beings?” blond ox who the hell did that mystic code think she was?! OX? She was not an animal of labor she was a dignified noble woman?!

“Are you two her mystic codes?” this conversation was starting to make her headache come back.

“Look myself she can understand basic words”

She caught it this time it was coming from the earrings, they shook with each word. “Answer my question if you do not want to end up as scrap metal”

“Oh, nice come back I like this one. Yes we are in the mystic codes, our lovely little sister ate us after all. Beg and we might say our names”

For a set of earrings they sure had one hell of an uncultured mouth on them, but getting wound up was all they wanted. Calm down Luvia, you are getting furious as talking jewelry.

“Please tell me your names?” Suryale was pleading slightly, yet even then her voice was Heavenly. Something that made Luvia slightly hot under the collar, no wonder her powers were sealed originally.

“I am Stheno, the Myself on your hands is Euryale, we are your name sake Suryale, will you be a respectful niece?”

“Stheno and Euryale, Mystic eyes of petrification, that made it clear who Rider was. She was the legendary Gorgon Medusa. That makes Suryales hesitance to say what her eyes did more understandable, and the reveal of why Magdalene never told them what the eyes do agreeable. Once this war is over odds are Suryale, will have a much larger target on her back, however now that she has a crest and the Edelfelt backing odds are no one will try to touch her for now.

“Suryale you might want to give different names to them due to their names directly giving away your ancestry.” That and it would be mildly amusing to see the pair of psuedo personalities based on a pair of Goddesses get annoyed.

“How about Seno, and Rayl?”

Honestly they were not bad names but she imagines the concept of new names is mildly insulting to them. “I like them, how about you two? You care about her safety do you not?”

“The names suit Myself just fine.” The earrings growl at Luvia.

Unable to keep back her laugh she nods, “Excellent” Now they just need to figure out who that shadow is, what Atrum is upto if hes alive, figure out who Assassins master is and end this bloody war. Honestly Luvia wishes she could take a nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since This is approaching the end of part one of the 3 parts that make up Heavens feel, I wanted to Get Virginia/Suryales last few major things done before Sakura and Shirou become much bigger players in the story, as they do with part 2 and 3. Hope ya'll had a great holiday, and are enjoying the story.


	14. Sometimes one must Retreat

** Outside the Matou Manor. **

Rin fires shot after shot of Gandr while running as fast as her reinforced legs will carry her, yet no matter how she or Archer moved there always seems to be a damn assassin that comes out of the shadows. “Archer we need to get an opening. I’m counting at least ten of these damn Assassins.”

Kanshou and Bakuya collide with various dirks thrown towards his master, if it wasn’t for the sheer amount of enemies and the fact he could barely sense them due to presence concealment they could have escaped already. “Master, I need thirty seconds and a lot of mana”

“Do it Archer!” she leaps into the air spinning mid jump to fire a Gandr shot at a female assassin that Materialized behind her servant. Thirty seconds was a long time in the heat of battle, but Archer was nothing if not crafty.

“I am the bone of my sword” holding his hand out she saw his familiar flower shield appearing before him. Her legs glowing, she lands behind him rapid firing her curses from behind the barrier. “Steel is my body, and Fire is my blood”

Bobbing to the left she narrowly misses a knife thrust into her face, they were trying to close in while he chants, putting her martial arts training to use she didn’t so much fight as disarm and distract. Time that was all they need, yet the Assassins knew something was up and leapt back, more and more of them appearing holding handfuls of dirks.

“I have created over a thousand blades.” Her mana suddenly plummets, whatever he was doing he wasn’t kidding about needing lots of mana to do it. “Unknown to death” His barrier grew as she ducks several of the dirks narrowly missing major arteries instead hitting her in the shoulder and leg. God damn did it hurt, ten more seconds. “Nor known to life”

“Having withstood pain to create thousands of weapons.”

“Archer please hurry!” she no longer had agility on her side with all the dirks in her arm and leg. Growling she forces the rest of her mana through her crest forcing every curse she could from her finger tips towards the Assassins. Why did they dodge it so easily it was fucking annoying!

“Yet those hands that have braved so much will never hold anything” he stood still keeping the barrier flower up, standing before her like the mighty servant he was. “So as I pray now, I call forth Unlimited Blade Works” The world around them lit up in flames and sand. As the bright light fades Rin realizes they are in a reality marble, it was a barren war torn landscape with blades as far as the eyes could see, Giant cogs rotating in the sky. It was utterly dreadful the feeling such a bleak landscape gave off. It reminded her a bit of Shirou for some reason.

“Assassins I’ve had enough of you” without another word blades flew from the ground where they rested like graves to fallen soldiers, flying towards hidden and visible assailants alike. Each Assassin’s presence concealment vanishes as they stare at the onslaught of blades coming for them, before any can make a move they’re impaled with extreme prejudice. Rin could not help but stare in awe at the carnage before her, she wouldn’t call Archer useless again he clearly was skilled whomever he was.

“Good job Archer” her breathing was becoming heavy as she looks down and realizes while she wasn’t bleeding badly her body was no longer reinforced, and her Adrenaline was wearing off. Honestly she just wants to take a nap, yes that sounds good right about now a nap, just a short.. one.

“Mast..” What was Archer saying? Her eyes close as something warm wraps around her, that is her last sensation before passing out.

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** Near Atrum’s former workshop **

Flying through the air Caster kept summoning as many circles as she could but there was just so many of the damned Assassins around them. These bastards killed her husband and now were trying to kill her Master and daughter, like Hades they would.

Each circle turns into a beam of concentrated prana tearing through the world around it like the lasers Suryale had shown her. Each Assassin she manages to kill though another replaces it, they were trying to push them towards that shoddy magus’s workshop. Why?! She had destroyed it before, there should be nothing of value in it. Wait no, thats not it, Shit shit shit!

“Master we need to pull back its a trap!” reorienting herself midair she unleashes a massive beam straight towards the tower, if her theory was correct it would.. A massive shock wave rips through the air as the tower explodes as if it was filled with an entire stock of Greek fire.

Channeling her magic Caster Reinforces Bazett who was doing an impressive job holding her own against the hoard of Assassins. Counting the ones she’s killed and the ones that keep appearing and disappearing she’s guessing there are about twenty. Suryale was holding her own while most of her attributes like her wings and tail were put away by the necklace Caster had made her, she partially released it keeping her talons out. The girl wasn’t as proficient as her husband had been at that bizarre snake like fighting style, but she had picked it up rather quickly. Between Suryale and Bazett the two were managing to keep Luvia safe from the group. Really it came to Luvia and Caster herself to provide support.

The problem came down, to they need to leave quickly and while flying would make the most sense, Suryale wasn’t used to flying yet and odds were it would exhaust her carrying someone.

“Caster cover them” a deep feminine yet naturally alluring voice behind her growls as she quickly turns and sees Rider on a flying horse, yup nope not messing with that she swoops down pulling the three into a barrier.

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Suryale felt herself be thrown to the ground by Bazett, hearing a similar grunt beside her as Caster threw Luvia to the ground. Above them the wind starts to pick up to the point it felt like a tropical storm, glancing towards the skies she saw Rider on Pegasus urging his wings to flap harder and harder.

“Assassin’s leave, or die” a golden bridle appears on the horse the reins in Riders hand.

The mocking laughter of the Assassins echoes around them, they had only managed to kill five of them, yet instead of attacking the group disperses in clouds of thin smoke. The wind continues to pick up for a couple of minutes before finally calming down as the golden bridle fades into thin air. Rider slowly flies the horse down landing next to them, her first action is to pull Bazett off of Suryale and pull the teen into a hug.

“Virginia thank my sisters you are safe.”

“Rider, thank you.” She smiles hugging her back while quietly muttering ‘full seal’ her talons merging back into her hands leaving henna like markings on her skin in the shape of them. Releasing the hug she smiles at the Servant who simply vanishes into spirit form, along with the flying horse.

“Little sister was very rude me” Seno shakes on the girls with slight irritation.

“Very Rude me, we should punish her next time” Rayl giggles from the woman's hands.

“Luvia, Bazett, Caster I think we should withdraw.”

Caster nods looking back at her Master as Suryale speaks, her eyes shifting then to the destroyed ruins of the skyscraper that had once held Atrum’s workshop. “Master we should go back to that manor, we need a plan to catch that rat.”

“Our car was destroyed so we will have to walk back” Luvia’s sigh makes the slight guilt Suryale was feeling worse as she could fly but she wasn’t used to it so her coordination was terrible.

“Mother can you fly them both back, I can run the rest of the way easily” She feels the concerned look the three give her, but Caster could at most carry two people. That and she felt a presence watching them but no hostility just observing.

“I can, just remember what I taught you about mana control when you leave”

Luvia lets out a sigh before nodding as she and Bazett wrapped an arm around Caster who took off flying into the air. They were finally gone now she could deal with this observer. “I’m here Namesake don’t forget.” The earrings whisper to her as she walks forward her hand resting on her necklace as she calls out.

Her head hurts ever so slightly as she _sees_ _ herself standing with her guard raised staring right at her.. No how could she see herself from her own eyes? No it was like before, vision not of her own, Odds were it was Rider’s vision she was seeing through. _“We are alone come out” the teenager calls out.

“So you see it too.” Suryale’s vision returns to normal seeing nothing before her as Rider rematerializes before her, tilting her head curiously before standing straight again crossing her arms before her as the Chain daggers reappear in her hands. “Forgive me” With that Rider lunges at her.

“Rayl!” She manages to shout as her hands glow slipping into a gate as she dodges backwards, falling to the ground a purple scythe in her hands with a long chain wrapping around both of her hands and waist. The gates closes just as quickly as it appears jumping back to her feet she stares at Rider who seems a bit shocked at the presence of the scythe. Yet her hesitation is gone in the next instant she lunges again, which Suryale barely deflects with her scythe before taking several more steps back.

“He left you that?” Not wasting the momentary pause the woman had Suryale lunges swinging as hard as she can with the scythe at the chain daggers.

“Release Second restraint” She simply growls in response to Rider’s question as the Servant parrys her strike sending a painful kick to Suryales gut. In a one on one duel with a Servant she still had little chance of winning, she only lasted as long as she did against Berserker with the help of Saber, on her own this was tilted in Riders favor. Yet why was Rider holding back, she knew this woman could hit harder, hell she remembers the blow that knocked her out in the dungeon was way stronger than this.

“Virginia.”

Her wings begin forming behind her back as she tries to catch herself from hitting the ground, even undoing most of the new mystic code it still took a couple of seconds for her body to be unsealed and well her wings were just not fast enough. Demi god or no, she was still very much inexperienced with her own abilities, and the extra body parts were as foreign as a prosthetic arm. Three months of training in snake combat and old magic was nothing compared to a servant who had a life time, who was she kidding. Her flapping had been too strong and while it righted her somewhat all if did was make her land hard on her stomach, instead of her back, the scythe fell free of her grasp on impact skidding to a stop nearby.

“Forgive me” Riders apologetic tone fills her ears as the scythe sinks into a orange ripple of a gate beneath it, the strike to the back of her neck is her last sensation as the world goes black.

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_ Caster stood before her holding out a golden necklace, it shimmers with unnatural power as the witch Fastened it to Virginia’s neck. “You need to be careful with this, It will seal your monstrous parts similar to the leaching seal I normally use. But if its destroyed the mana will flood back into your system and you risk going berserk” _

Shaking her head Rider kept running with the unconscious girl on her shoulder. How did this keep happening, the memory bleeding they kept having, Rider shouldn’t even be able to see with her Gorgon breaker on yet, at times she saw things through Virginia’s eyes. Even their appearances were starting to merge yet even if Virginia was her grand daughter, this didn’t make sense. The only reason Rider used to have that form was giving into her hatred of humanity and letting that curse from Athena consume her. This girl shouldn’t be cursed, yet she was, she shouldn’t even have those eyes, and yet some how she had Rider’s eyes. She some how had her hair, those wings, those claws, that even that unquenchable hatred. There was something she needed to confirm but there wasn’t enough time. She would need to wait till tomorrow when Shirou left, so for now she needs to get this girl somewhere safe. Somewhere away from that Witch of Betrayal, somewhere away from those other two Masters.

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** Emiya Residence **

Suryale stirs slowly as she tries to move only to realize she’s bound to a bed a gag in her mouth. Struggling she tries to turn her head, yet its bound in place, against a pillow. There is enough slack that she can move it slightly, same with her limbs, but she can’t see a thing, like her mouth she’s blindfolded. _No, no, no, not again!_

“Virginia lay still and wait here” Rider? Wait that’s right she and Rider fought and then she was knocked out, but somehow her wings weren’t under her, nor was her tail free. The necklace must have activated on its own and resealed them.

A soft, yet slightly unnerving voice fills her ears..Sakura “I’ll keep an eye on her Rider, just keep Shirou safe.”

She wasn’t sure why but Sakura’s voice was unsettling, if made her body scream danger yet without her mystic codes or ability to move in general there was little she could do. From the feeling of her bindings it was easy to tell these were Riders chains holding her to the bed. Odds were she was at Shirou’s house smuggled in secretly.

“Sakura he’s near”

The door to the room opens and soft footsteps shuffle out of the room, her guess was Sakura’s, the door closes a second later but no footsteps follow. Great just great she’s a prisoner AGAIN.

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Shirou approaches the main gate to his home, limping gripping his arm. Saber, he watched her willingly walk into that thing. Even after the lord left with his injured apprentice, Shirou didn’t stop trying to find her, until the run in with that Shadow thing. The thought of that encounter alone made him want to hide, the thing was fucking horrifying, its movements were so unnatural, it was so alien, and just touching him, it was like the fire ten years ago all over.

What was really upsetting though was Sakura staring at him as he approaches the door, tears falling from her eyes as she runs forward pulling him into a hug. “Shirou, you got hurt again. You can’t keep doing this.” The sobs in her voice felt like a knife through his chest.

“I’m sorry.” He whispers pulling her into a hug. Saber was lost, he was injured again and he felt even more guilty seeing her tears as she clutched his shirt. He was glad that girl in the hood was alright, the man who was with her seemed to come out roughly unharmed as well, but the worry on the mans face over the girl, Gray he thinks her name was hurt to think about. Sakura was probably even more upset at how long it took him to get home since he helped the two get back to Tohsaka’s house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last Chapter of Part one. I am while mostly Following the movies version of heavens feel, using my own modified calendar rather than trying to strictly stick to the game. So scenes may be rearranged or in different order. Next chapter is going to be fun to write, odds will it will be one of my longer ones, anywho enjoy


	15. Cowards grasp at power

“Em.I.ya” her words were like honey to his ears, The seductive purr of Rin’s voice as she saunters towards him eyes locked on his like a cat teasing its prey. He felt himself be pushed over onto the ground as she mounts him, they’re alone in the class room the sun slowly setting as she feels around his crotch. “You can do whatever you like, Emiya” she purrs into his ears, her lips barely a breath away from his skin. He cannot help but squirm as her chest presses into his, her hips grinding on him. 

Reaching up he places his hands on her skirt pushing it up slowly enjoying the feeling of her small but well formed rear. Yet something is wrong, her hands stop as something, something isn’t right. Rin was seeing someone, yet she was all but dry humping him now at school. When did he get to school? She sat up still straddling him, grinding her hips on his still yet it wasn’t Rin, but Virginia her long purple and brown hair spread around them like a skirt. The woman was slowly working her fingers down to his zipper eyes closed head arching back biting her lower lip. Wait wasn’t it Rin who was just on him? 

He feels her remove his pants slowly her eyes never opening as she lowers her tights by feel alone, leaning down to kiss him deeply passionately. As she leans back the look of bewilderment on his face was finally seen as she opens her eyes, her golden yellow eyes staring at him. Her expression changes to mild annoyance as she looks down as if was doing something wrong. Leaning forward she bites him in the neck, not like one would a lover but like one who was drawing blood. A few seconds later she sits back up placing his hands on her chest, in but a blink the girl he’s fucking is now Sakura who looks as if she’s going to cry. “Senpai what are you doing?!” 

The alarm goes off his eyes bolting open as he sees his ceiling above him, the fan slowly rotating. His hand outstretched before him as a noticeable erection bulged under his blankets. “What the heck kind of dream was that?” he simply grumbles going to the bathroom and locking the door to satisfy his unwelcome visitor. A few minutes later hands washed visitor gone he goes to check on Sakura, she’s been getting sicker and sicker lately and it has him worried, yet she wasn’t in her bed. He could hear the sound of dishes being washed, she was most likely finishing up breakfast. The meal was delicious since her cooking was starting to get on par with his in skill, he was honestly so proud of her.

As they finish and he starts to pull his jacket on he feels her tug on his shirt. “Now that Saber left, you won’t need to go out late at night right?” the worry in her voice fills him with guilt as he turns around.

“I wasn’t going out late to help Saber, she was helping me.” Her expression falls as he holds her close, he could feel the heat from her forehead through his jacket. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t stay up for me each night. You’re sick Sakura, you need your rest” he wasn’t lying but it still felt dickish to say when he saw her expression fall again.

She promised him she would rest while he was at school, so he relaxes and makes his way there, stopping briefly when he runs into Rin, who’s going on and on about what she discovered the night before. A basement of worms, how the assassins seem to be working separately from the weird arm one. But she never brought up why her arm was in a sling. He wishes she would let him get a word in edge wise, but he stops when she finally turns around and glares at him.  
  
“Emiya are you listening? Do you know where Virginia is? She never returned home last night.” he could see the pain behind her eyes easily but he really had no clue where she was. 

“I’m sorry Tohsaka I haven’t. I spent most of the night and morning dealing with Sakura’s fever” that got her to shut up, she looks at him with fear behind her eyes as she looks towards the school gate they stood in front of, and him. Turning on heel she starts quickly walking back the way they came.

“Why didn’t you tell me Sakura had a fever!” he was having trouble matching pace with the shorter woman but he speeds up.

“You wouldn’t let me a get a word in edge wise!” the rest of the walk was quiet they carefully modified their route to avoid truancy patrol officers. What was normally half an hour walk, was a couple of hours by the time they got back, obviously school was going to have to wait. 

Finally getting back to the manor he finds the door unlocked, which was curious because he remembers hearing Sakura lock it when he left, yet her boots were missing. Kicking his shoes off he invites Tohasaka in something felt off. He walks over to her room the bed was made and her keys were gone, both her manor key and her key to the house they currently were in. 

“Emiya!” 

His eyes shot towards the door at Rin’s scream, running towards her he stops in the door way seeing what she was, the other western style bedroom had been used. There was blood on the bed sheets, the bed posts were damaged by what looks like chains, and a white dress with silk trim was laying on the ground. That dress wasn’t one of Sakura’s it was too long for someone her height, and who used the room, why was there blood on the bed!?

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That dress, that dress is was what Virginia wore last night, the blood on the bed, the torn sheets, the damage to the posts, his lack of indifference to it!? Rin closes her eyes trying to calm down, her blood was boiling it was too late, he was lying to her and that was it. Her fingers reach out, knotting the fabric of his shirt in her fist as she throws him into the nearby wall holding her hand against his throat, while she fills her crest with Mana. “Emiya!” She bit back her rage trying to keep her words coherent. “That dress, is Virginia’s. Why is the clothing she wore when she went missing, in your house, in a room with a bed that looks like someone got assaulted in it!”

His eyes were staring at her wide, both with confusion and slight fear. “Tohsaka..I don’t know..I don’t go in here” 

“Archer!” on command he appears next to her as she glares at Shirou, this wasn’t Emiya, he was an idiot, but he wasn’t a rapist, he wasn’t a kidnapper, hell his idiotic problems of wanting to be a hero prevented him from doing something like this. But the bed, the clothes, the chains..What else could it be!? “Archer look to see if the barrier had been accessed by another servant possibly the assassins.” She turns her eyes back to Shirou locking dead into his. “Are you willing to undergo a Gaes to verify you are telling the truth?”

“Yes” he didn’t hesitate at all, he was a terrible liar to begin with. But no hesitation at all meant he most likely was telling the truth, DAMMIT!

Releasing her grip she stares at him with residual anger but that burns out when she slams her fist into the wall. “Sakura is missing, Virginia is missing, both were last in this house. We need to find out who penetrated your barrier. Spread out and search, Emiya”

For a few hours they search, yet no intrusions or damage that even an Assassin would cause are found by the time they take a break school was already letting out. It was only then that the phone rang, no sooner did Emiya answer it than he was booking it out the door in full sprint. “Archer we need to follow him”

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She stands beside Rider in her body suit mystic code, while when active it became armor it didn’t change the fact she felt utterly naked standing next to Rider, and Shinji. No matter what she tries she can’t disobey him. It’s irritating that he talks its like a Sirens call in her mind overriding her willpower, it had to be that damn book he held. At least she had been allowed to keep her earrings and hand jewelry, yet she couldn’t activate them unless he order her to attack. What was going on why was his voice like this? It was disgusting especially with how he took advantage of it while she was tied to the bed. He licked her ears, her shoulders, did things to her she couldn’t resist because of his damn voice. Yet he refused to let her take her glasses, so she still has the blindfold over her eyes, his cheap body spray makes her want to gag.

“I’m here Shinji, now let Sakura go!” that voice! Her head turns towards the door, those footsteps, and the smell of sweat, grease and cooking spices fill her nose. It was Shirou, she could feel his eyes on her, feel him looking between her and Sakura. Why couldn’t she fucking move, her limbs refused to listen, rendering her a prisoner in her own body and Shinji would die for it.

“Good boy Emiya, Now you are going to fight Rider, and if you try any funny business I’ll kill Sakura.” That condescending tone, her fingers twitch she was getting control back but not quickly enough. 

“So you’re the person who kidnapped Virginia?” 

Her fingers flex slightly,  _ come on come on MOVE!  _ Shinji’s hand gropes her butt and she knows she needs to break his control but a hand won’t do shit if she can’t move the arm. Yet they refuse to listen to her commands. Move dammit MOVE.

“I did no such thing, she came because I asked her to. Virginia, kneel before me.” the words, why did that feel so right? Why does it feel so good to kneel before him? Stop with the why it didn’t matter, she wants to please Master after all, he asked her to kneel she’d be a bad girl if she disobeyed. What the hell was going on, why did this submission feel so good. Her chance at breaking control vanishes again as the mind numbing satisfaction of obeying fills her.

The fighting around her sounds like fun, so much fun, she hopes Rider kills him. After all he deserves it for disobeying master. Wait why was she thinking that?  _ No, Shirou help please free me from this bastard! _ It was so hard to focus.. Yet as she almost succumbs to the submission his control on her breaks. Books and tables land around her as Shirou’s hand reeks of blood, Ozone fills her nose as something hard hits the ground next to her, reaching her hand out she realizes its a book, the smell is coming from the book. Wait, did he reinforce it to take Riders blow?!

“But how?!”

The pause as Shinji stumbles back she figures he saw the book, as she slowly stands up, staying near Sakura trying to keep from going berserk, her blood felt as if it was on fire to say she was pissed is an understatement. She wanted to kill this bastard right here. Right now. 

“It was magecraft?!” She felt no remorse for the shock in Shinji’s voice at his declaration, she wants to kill this bastard.

From his scream and rapid footsteps she knew the idiot was trying to punch Shirou, yet from the crunch of bones and the crash she knew Shinji got punched instead. His gasping for air sounded almost as pitiful as when he cries, he’s going to die.

“Rider, Virginia! Kill that bastard now!” no shit NO! 

“Rayl!” the portal opens by her hands as she pulls her scythe from it, freeing it from the holding on the other side. No stop don’t attack, Rin would never forgive her for this. The body suit begins to morph into armor as she lunges at him. The crash of glass, the sound of a gem explosion, fill her senses then it happens. Pain ungodly pain of being electrocuted floods her body unable to do anything, she screams. The scythe falls from her hands, she never hears it hit the ground as she can only assume it fell back into the portal. 

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“Tohsaka but why?” Why he asks? Why? Why? Rin could feel her blood boiling, but unlike usual she felt a controlled rage, a tranquil calm fury as she dusts herself off.

“Emiya and I have a mutually beneficial agreement. Because of that we happen to be working together.” She saw Sakura flinch out of the corner of her eye. “All day. You used Sakura as Bait, you kidnapped Virginia. That was a big mistake.” She turns looking him dead in the eye, no longer restraining her hatred at this point. “Because that makes you my enemy”

“Sakura… Sakura Sakura Sakura SAKURA SAKURA SAKURA!!!! Why do you care so much about what happens to her?! I’m the Matou that became Master here!” Shinji holds up his book aiming it at Rider. “Stand up both of you!” purple lightning flies out of the book, striking both Rider and Virginia. Their bodies contort as they both shriek in pain. 

Wait that lightning that's from before!? No way that's what’s going on?! No this is bad, very Bad. Rin for once finds herself conflicted on a course of action, command seals control them both.

“Damn you, Get up!” he’s all but screaming at this point.

“No...stop it...please This has to stop now!” Her eyes shoot to Sakura who’s crying as she screams, the book in Shinji’s hands explodes in flames. Wait no no. 

“Emiya Look out!” is all she can scream as the bleeding Rider shoots towards him, and past him standing behind Sakura and beside them both Virginia who was also now standing beside her. Both Rider and Virginia’s hair flutters as their wounds instantly heal each a hand resting on Sakura’s shoulder. “You’re kidding Rider she’s still?!” this was bad, really really bad.

“Very good Rider, both of you end it now by slaughtering them all!” 

Wait why didn’t either of them move? Maybe Virginia had regained control but Rider was outright ignoring a command. Thats when she finally sees it Sakura shaking her head. “Yes of course, the Matou blood has run too thin, its impossible for a mage to be born into that family now. I assumed Zouken was the one who summoned Rider and was lending her to Shinji, but I see now the answer is much simpler.”

Shirou finally looks back at her, he should be thankful for all this. “What do you mean?”

“The way things stand with the Matou’s only one person is fit to become a master. The true heir of the Matou name, the only mage of this generation, the one Rider serves. Right Sakura?” her sisters eyes widen, she hit it right on the money.

Shirou starts to back away “you mean Sakura is a Master?”

“A command spell transfer, she used that to allow Rider to follow Shinji’s orders. Thats how he became Rider’s so called master. Meanwhile you lost your authority as a master, which made you an ordinary mage.” She could hear Shinji saying hey in the background but kept going he could sit down and shut up for all she cares. “After all, the Matou’s created command spells thats how your trick was possible right Sakura?”

“HEY! LOOK OVER HERE!” They all turn to look at him. “We aren’t finished yet, One more time Sakura, give me control of Rider one more time!” was he stupid? Doing that would free Rider. “Don’t look at me like that, why are you acting like a goody goody all of a sudden!? You have one more Command seal give it to me!” 

She had enough he was making Shirou’s stupidity look sane “Shinji if the last one is used Rider will be set free, at that point none of your orders will matter, your books will burn up and that will be it for you.” She levels her eyes at him still fuming with cold anger. “Using borrowed command spells means you were never a Master to begin with” Her eyes return to Sakura, and to Virginia who stood behind her, while Virginia’s face was neutral Rin could only imagine she was screaming internally to be set free. That would be handled next, but for now she needs to get Shinji to disengage.

“Shinji?” Shirou was really pitying this bastard?

“Thats right, I knew that. I Knew that. I KNEW THAT! I always KNEW I would not be fit for the role of a master!!” Was he crying?! Seriously if she wasn’t so pissed off at him Rin would have told him to grow a spine. “And that’s why you have to do it. You have to kill them in my place Sakura. Kill them all.” He really did not know when to quit, Rin starts to raise her hand she was going to kill him.

“Shinji.. I can’t we have to stop this” Sakura he isn’t worth your love. Rin’s hand stops, guilt flowing through her the urge to pull Sakura into a hug, but she didn’t deserve to. “Did you already forget the promise you made to me? You said you weren’t going to kill Shirou. You promised you’d leave her out of this, yet you broke both. So please big brother stop this.”

“Fine if thats the way you want it, then just die” 

Wait why was his voice so morose?! Why was he holding a gem…that looked just like the one attached to Sakura’s earring?! The gem in his hand broke, the earring shatters a chemical spraying onto Sakura’s neck. Wait what is it why is she screaming!? 

“Sakura!” Rin watches Shirou turn towards Sakura. Rin’s body not moving unsure of what to do.

“No Shirou don’t look, don’t look at me.” Sister!

Taking a step back Rin can’t believe what she’s seeing Sakura looks like a dog in heat, her face is red, wait why did the room door open?! Shit Shinji left whats going on!? Why is the ground near Shirou turning into ripples!? 

Archer throws Shirou back blocking the orbs spikes as it hits his twin blades, more start appearing around them. Imaginary number elements!? Shit shit shit! “Damn it doesn’t look like she can control it.”

“Get out of here now, once she feeds on your mana there is no going back!” Shit, she didn’t like this but Archer was right she and Shirou need to get out of here now!

Rider lunges at Archer their duel blades clashing, her chain daggers grinding against his swords. “I need you to stay out of the way.” 

“Rider pull back! Your master has lost all control. If this keeps up she will self destruct.” 

Why wasn’t Virginia moving!? She was just standing there idle next to Sakura, while Archer and Rider fight. 

“She won’t as long as she takes in more than she’s losing.”

Wait did Archer’s feet crack the ground beneath him? Was Rider that strong?! 

“So no matter who your Master is. It doesn’t change the fact you’re still a rotten bitch!” He manages to push the servant back, Rin really didn’t know what to do, nor did Shirou next to her, Sakura was on her knees clutching her chest while Virginia refused to make any movements. More of those orbs growing and exploding around them at random, this was bad they need to get out of here but Sakura...could they just leave her?

Suddenly the room around them became heavy. The crushing weight of Rider’s bounded field felt like it was squeezing the life from her body, like a fat tick under a boot. “A bar..rier” move Rin MOVE, why couldn’t she move.

“Stop, I’m begging you Rider stop. It’s not why I summoned you, I didn’t want anything like this.” Sakura cries out her hand reaching out for Rider, as the Servant reaches up to her blindfold.

“I cannot adhere to that, your life takes priority to everything else.” The blindfold fell from her eyes, in that moment Rin realized who she was, and all she could think of was this was the absolute worst possible moment to learn they were fighting Medusa.

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What was going on, she didn’t really know her senses were dull her body stiff, no one told her to move so why should she? “Virginia.. Please stop Rider.” Those honeyed words of a Sirens call, brought her back to life her hand reaching into the portal to pull her scythe free. Suryale kicks Archer out of the way as he, Rin, and Shirou start to petrify, the sounds of their bodies turning to stone tells her all she needs to know. Reaching up she pulls the knot free her eyes glare at Rider as her own bounded field appears around them, she needs to make this fast. Her scythe slams into Rider’s knives as the pair of women stare into each others eyes, neither affected by the others petrification yet behind Rider Sakura was slowly turning to stone, while behind Suryale, Rin, Archer, and Shirou were doing the same. 

“Stop this Rider, stop this now! I will not let you harm them.” She hears Rin fall behind her as she swings Harpe hard towards the servant before her, blood ties or no, she would protect Rin. The chain daggers deflect the blow as she realizes she really needs to practice with this. “All restraints rescinded” stretching out her wings she tries to shield the three behind her from Riders gaze as they fight, but she couldn’t do anything about the rapid mana drain they were under.

“You say that but your blood fort is going to kill them first.” Rider swings her kick at the smaller woman knocking one of her hands free from the Scythe. “That weapon should never touch your hands.” The servant all but growls as their blades clash again Virginia, Suryale whoever she really was regains her grip on the weapon. For some reason as they fight the weapon becomes more familiar to her, the excess weight of her body easier to handle. 

“Tohsaka look out!” Suryale spins on heel barely dodging a blow from Rider as she sees Rin get thrown back, Shirou jumping in front of one of the orbs to take the blow for her, despite his limbs being stone. Sakura screams from the other side, she and Rider both turn towards their own groups as one of the orbs appears next to her.  _ SHIT . _

  



	16. Birds on the grapevine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW,TW implied Rape

_ Thunder cracks in the sky above, a dim orange sky with blood red clouds fill their eyes, the gelatin like womb around them breaking open. Falling forward onto their small arms and legs not much bigger than that of a twelve year old, they look up and around, the body of their mother lying before them. A large serpent like tail wrapped around the area they landed in, twitching occasionally but even with their new life they knew this limb was as dead as the person who birthed them. Leaning on the large tail they practice standing, after several tries their legs finally cooperated, walking slowly to the water they stare down at their reflection. The name, they know their name, mother had burned it into their brain while they rested inside of her. However staring back at them was a young girl, long purple hair, barely four feet tall with purple eyes. What stood out the most however was the pair of long golden tusks jutting from their lower lip. Chrysaor, that was their name, but were they just another clone of their mother, their aunts? Or something more?  _

_ Standing up they find a various statues digging through discarded equipment at each ones feet they find string, ribbons, clothes, armor, weapons and so on. Dragging each bag back towards the water they spend several hours trying on various items until they settle on an appearance. Having tied their hair back into a low ponytail they smile, while none of the statues had anything in their size they did find mothers old armor, with some jury-rigging they made a more masculine armor pulling it to cover their body.  _

_ “Crysaor son of Medusa, Son of Poseidon.” He speaks quietly with confidence, as a large winged horse walks towards him nudging his arm. “You must be my brother” he smiles hugging the horse who whinnies happily. The next several days are spent examining the island which no matter how much he looks it keeps changing shape on the pair, yet always seems to be a Temple ruins. He had to admit spending time deciding his gender and identity in general felt refreshing but he wasn’t going to let Mothers killer escape. However, what was he going to do about these massive tusks that gave away he wasn’t human. Transformation magic could only do so much. Exploring mothers room, the case which once held her mighty scythe had long been broken and destroyed, his guess was the killer took her weapon. _

_ Pegasus never likes it when he leaves his side, but Crysaor didn’t really have a choice, he needs to avenge their mother, he needs to get that weapon back, yet as a small child like girl odds were he would stand out even more. Luckily having spent time each night studying magical tomes found in the discarded equipment of the various statues he smiled learning how simple transformation spells were for him. “Hermes, Athena, Perseus I will get them all brother I promise” _

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Opening her eyes slowly her body feels as if it was made from cement, nothing wants to move, just what exactly happened? Voices from outside the door draw her attention as she glances to her side the best her exhausted muscles will allow. Sakura was on the bed opposite to her eyes open listening carefully. If she was here odds were Rider was here as well, probably in spirit form. Trying to sit up, her body protests painfully she could tell without being told that she was dangerously low on mana. Rubbing the side of her neck with difficulty she feels the slowly healing hole from Sakura’s rampaging spell, Virginia was betting that was why she was so low, thankfully though it looks like Sakura has more than enough for now at least. Reaching for her glasses that were sitting on the nearby table she pulls them on.

Rin’s voice fills the room, her tone was full of depression and regret “It’s my job to take care of Fuyuki, I’ll take care of her.”

She and Sakura hear another voice. A familiar one. Wait wasn’t he the man Bazett fought several nights ago? “Take care of her? You’re going to kill Sakura Matou?”

Forcing herself to stand up despite her muscles screaming at her with white hot pain she limps towards Sakura. Kneeling beside the girls bed, she squeezes Sakura’s hand nervously still listening. 

“Yes. Mages that can’t control their own powers cannot be allowed to live. She’s a lost cause. A master gone mad” wait what the hell Rin? You can’t just say that? Wait if Rin is willing to kill Sakura did that mean she was next? Would Rin kill her after Sakura was dead?

Looking around she spots her bodysuit mystic code, while mostly just an armor enhancement if others were not aware of her presence it did allow her to turn herself invisible, similar to the spell Caster used early in the war when Virginia was scouting for her.

Forcing her body to cooperate she pulls her bodysuit on then begins assisting Sakura in getting dressed carefully, when the voice from before, that priest speaks again “Despite the fact, biologically speaking she’s your little sister?”

The look of horror on Sakura’s face was all Virginia needs to keep pushing the girl to finish dressing, it was only at this point did she realize something was wrong, when she woke up nothing was sealing her eyes yet her bounded field or what was it the Rider called it? ‘Blood fort’ never activated, she didn’t even petrify Sakura weird. Okay that is a question to ask Rider about later, right now the two of them need to go. 

“Sakura we cannot stay here, please” Virginia whispers to the girl. She was just so stunned at the conversation, Shirou’s surprise at Rin and Sakura being sisters, the fact Rin kept stating they never saw each other like that. Why was Rin acting like this, was she really going to kill her own sister? What the ever loving hell, not cool. 

“If I leave her alone in the state she’s in it’ll happen again!!” Rin and Shirou were all but shouting now as Sakura freezes before the window. “But next time it might be with innocent bystandards entirely at random. So I don’t have a choice. I have to kill her.” Shirou if he said anything neither of them heard it, pushing Sakura out the window they ran as the door knob began to turn, something hits the ground but Sakura by this point was half way out of the court yard, while Virginia was finding herself struggling to keep up. Stopping for just long enough to activate her bodysuits invisibility she pushes forward, muscles screaming in anger with each flex, she needs blood, mana something soon or she’s going to collapse.

Stumbling into the street she’s long since lost sight of Sakura who was running ahead of her crying. The street was so hard to see, everything was so blurry, the burning in her muscles was getting unbearable at this point.  Another block, she could go another block , the light the intersection lights could she make it that far.

Grabbing onto the sign post she feels a hand around her hips, who was it? 

“Hey girly, had a bit too much to drink tonight?”

Lifting her head up she could barely make out the look of some guy wearing leather and a dirty T-shirt. Drunk, wouldn’t that be nice? He keeps pulling her farther down the street, towards an alley.  Body move please move , yet her muscles protest, refusing to cooperate as she’s lifted up on her other side by another man. The light keeps fading in an out of her vision laughing, something about an easy score? Who was touching her? Who’s hand was under her body suit? Removing her leggings?

Something warm enters her, her muscles protest but her body seems more alive enough for her to start becoming aware of her surroundings. Virginia’s eyes shooting open as she wraps her legs around the guy on top of her, fangs extending she bites him violently in the neck drinking as much blood from him as she can before kicking him off of her. She could move again, he didn’t have much mana but enough that she wasn’t on the verge of collapsing anytime soon. Standing up she kicks over the table she’d been laid down on her eyes locking onto the man she had seen before, the one who initially grabbed her. Licking her lips all she can think of is his blood. The sharp copper taste heavy on her tongue as she licked it desperately from her fangs.  _Screw the rules, screw everyone, they took advantage of her right? It’s only fair she did the same_ _._ Lunging at him she pins him beneath her, the smell of piss and shit filling the room. Really? Oh its manly to abduct an all but unconscious woman but being attacked makes you shit your pants?

Forcing back the smell she sinks her fangs into him, draining as much as she can, frankly its so good why would she stop? Why should she stop? She should drink him clean, he did after all have the audacity to touch her divine body. They had the audacity to do those things to her, she should kill him right now, drain him dry.  Yes that sounds like a good idea.  _ Hehehe. _

“You should stop this. Now.” A child's voice? Who was that?

Releasing the man who fell to the floor like a broken doll, ruby beads of blood dripping from her lips which morph into a wicked smile, her eyes darting around till they land on the person behind her. A girl barely four feet tall with purple hair tied back in a long braid stares at her from under a hooded cloak. Who was this girl and why did she look so familiar? 

Letting out a low sinister chuckle, she slowly saunters towards the girl, her hand reaching into a portal…only to stop as something clamps around her wrist on the other side. 

“Are you really willing to repeat her mistakes? Stop this Suryale” who was this girl and how did she know the name her parents gave her? She wasn’t some goddess named Suryale, she was Virginia, and she wants to kill these bastard humans, Every. Single. One. Of. Them. When something scares humans it’s always kill on sight. Wrenching back hard on her arm, she manages to free her hand yet her scythe isn’t in it.

“Who are you?” her voice all but a growl as she stalks towards the little girl, who reaches into a portal of her own, one that looks remarkably like the ones her Mystic Codes Seno and Rayl produce to draw her weapon. 

“I’m no one important, but you need to stop this now” the girls hand pulls back holding a golden sword, a Greek long sword, similar to the ones she saw in that stupid spartan movie Caster had rented. 

The girl stuns Virginia who, in her mana deprived state lunges at her, only to be redirected through the far wall back into the street. “Who are you?!” she growls turning around so she can look at the girl who isn’t even there anymore. She vanished? Where is she? Who was she? 

“I’m sorry Miss but I need to borrow you for a bit” Wait who?! That sweet voice for some reason sent her body into fight or flight, however she didn’t move, her body suddenly bound by threads of mana holding her tightly. “Sela! Leysritt!” Glancing towards her sides two women in white quickly grab her jamming something sharp into her neck as her legs start to give way under her. 

“Wh..y..?” her heavy eyes close without protest or complaint, her body and mind heavily drained from earlier.

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The light filtering into her eyes disturbs her restful sleep, her eyes slowly opening as she turns on the bed, looking towards the small albino woman staring at her.. It was rather creepy if she was being honest, as their eyes meet. Wait she wasn’t wearing her glasses?! How was this girl not turning to stone? The better question is why does it feel as is she was body slammed by a bus?

“I’m sure you are in a lot of pain right now miss.” The girls voice was soft and curious in a manner which for some reason unnerved her. “You are at the bare minimum mana you can produce right now, not unless you want to die that is.” Yeah there it was, that was why her body was screaming at her to run. Not like she could at the moment, even turning her head to face the girl was trial of will. “Big brother is taking care of his girlfriend, and Miss Tohsaka is busy searching for the two of them, your servant is too busy trying to find assassin, and those two women are locked inside their manor. I know you didn’t ask but the look on your face says it all miss goddess.”  _ Shit. _

Forcing her body to move even slightly felt like running up hill pushing a boulder, but she manages to force herself to sit up, only to notice she’s..  Naked. Her eyes turn to meet the girl, Berserker's Master, the memories of her first encounter still fresh in her mind, her back colliding with that tree and snapping, waking up in Rin’s house fully healed. 

“You have been busy Miss Goddess, I wasn’t sure how you survived your injuries, but to see you attacking those people was very interesting. Not to mention your little mystic eye spat at the school, mystic eyes of petrification, not to mention blood drinking? Whats next soul eating?” the cross look upon the girls face as she stares dead into Suryale’s prismatic ones, felt far more threatening than one would think the girls child like glare could be. 

“Oh look at this myself, a child thinks she can talk like that to a goddess.” Her earrings begin laughing as they shake slightly in Virgina’s peripheral vision. 

“Oh look that annoying Jewelry refused to come off.” The albino girl sits back in her chair with a deep sigh. “Look as intimidating as I’m trying to be, I need to know something. Are you or are you not a master?”

She opens her mouth but finds words difficult to form, simply shaking her head, to which the Albino girl relaxes slightly. 

“Right, then we should get you back to enough Mana so we can talk at least. How are you even functioning with so many servants receiving Mana from you?”  _ Wait what?!  _ The girl keeps talking as Virginia just stares at her confused at that last statement. “I’ll be back in a few hours, Sella will be in shortly with some blood, drink it up.” With that the girl left, shortly after a maid walked in holding at least half a dozen bags of blood in a cooler, honestly the thought of drinking blood at all was utterly disgusting to even think about. But it was better than having sex or forced make out sessions with a small albino girl. Grabbing the first bag looking at the maid then the blood in her hands, with a heavy sigh.  Bottoms up.  Her fans sink in, and as wretched as the idea was to her the moment the coppery tasting goodness touched her tongue, any disgust she might have had went away.

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Illya turns away from the door as Sela follows behind her, Leysritt walking towards them holding a container full of some of their workshops blood supplies. 

“Mistress is it alright to leave that girl with just Leysritt?” While she would never admit it out loud Illya knew that Sela did not trust the girl especially after all the things they saw with the various familiars they had around town.

“Sela right now it’s better to keep her out of the war, with that unknown man wandering around, and those rogue servants running around calling themselves assassins.” She pauses while walking remembering her brothers face at his request to watch over her. She wasn’t about to mention how Berserker acted weird last time he encountered the girl. “Sela I just need you to trust me.” Her mind flashes back to the last image one of her familiars left before being destroyed. An arrogant blond man sitting on a throne holding a glass of wine with a disgustingly smug look on his face. “I have a plan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for taking so long, at the request of my friends I took a short break. Having just finished up Control and marathoning through the valentines and now garden of sinners rerun in Fate grand order, I finally got off my but and finished this chapter. Enjoy


	17. Hero for one or Hero for all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shirou makes an important decision that will shape his current destiny.

Staring down at the formerly abandoned manor, that now houses Caster’s master the Blond servant watches curiously atop his golden motorcycle. Kotomine hadn’t been entertaining lately, not only had he been on the losing side of a servant struggle, but he let that half breed escape. That girl who looks like Rider was a curious one indeed, she should be dead, the sheer amount of times he stabbed her with his treasures should have seen to that. Yet she was running around town like it was nothing. Frankly it was rather irritating in that several of the treasures he threw at her were not returned or only partially returned. It reminds him of facing off with Berserker and how he corrupted anything he touched in the last war. Yet this was different, he couldn’t explain it and that made him extremely curious.

The interloper using Kotomine’s former servants from the last war, who was supposedly killed by Caster in this war. He was utterly irritating an insult to even a sub par spectacle as this. Caster had not only out smarted him, but stole the half breed from him, Yet he had the audacity to not die instead acting like an even stupider version of Tokiomi. His former master was an utter fool not understanding how to spot a person ready to stab them in the back, frankly both Casters and Lancer’s former Master’s made the mistake of underestimating treachery. His eyes shifting around the manor and it’s various barriers, he knew for a fact the half breed wasn’t there. But honestly right now it was a toss up between listening to Kotomine or just disposing of that idiot girl and the half breed before they both turned into monsters.

What is with these modern Mages and their thoughts that they are the best of their kind. Yet there was mostly just useless people that were in excess, wastes of existence like the Interloper who didn’t know his damn place. Though he does admit this whole charade with Caster trying to find him is amusing to watch. Yet this fool didn’t know how to use the Assassin’s correctly using them as an army instead of for subterfuge. There is a limit to ones utter foolishness and this fool of a man was getting there.

The jingling in the air draws his attention as he spots a strange bird flying around examining Caster’s barrier. The Einzbern puppet was too curious for her own good honestly, her familiars while very aesthetically pleasing unlike Tokiomi’s stone birds, were very easy to spot in any form of lighting. They look as if they were made from wires, but that was a signal that it was time for him to leave. He couldn’t risk being seen by her yet. Getting onto his _‘Crotch rocket’_ as the salesmen called it he revs the engine of his golden steed. “Soon, soon all these mongrels will die.” His bike screams into the night as he takes off back towards the church.

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The rain beat heavily upon him, drenching his clothing till they feel like weights clinging to his body.  Where was she?  The sharp edges of her keys digging into his calloused fingers as he clenches them for relief, the constant down pour muting most sounds. His heart racing, he needs to find her yet where the hell could she have gone?  


Archer’s voice from several nights ago echoing in his mind.  _ “Servants are just instruments, we are summoned to clean up messes humans make, and thats all.”  _

_Was that what this was? Was that all Sakura was a mess made by humans? No she can’t be! She is so much more than just a mistake. If she’s a mess created by humans than what about that girl Rin spends so much time worrying about? Is Tohsaka just going to kill her as well? Is she simply another mistake?_

Running towards the park he stops gripping his knees trying to catch his breath. “Where is she? I need to find her before Tohsaka does.” The pounding of his heart was only met equally with the burning of his lungs, and the bitter chill of his pruned fingers. “But when I do find her then what?”

_ Flames surround him, wreckage of destroyed buildings litter around him, a familiar scene of the great fire around him, Sakura on her knees before him, his tan hands wrapping around her neck squeezing the life out of it. Her pleading eyes burning into his mind, as something knocks him onto his back, white locks of hair whipping around in the wind as he stares up at the person who kicked him. The person who attacked him was him? Another version of him, his skin still pale, bright flaming red hair pulling Sakura into a fierce hug, a sword appearing in his hand, the black sword of Archer’s pair Kanshou aiming the blade right at him. The meaning need not be stated, Shirou knew what it meant that version of him would kill to protect Sakura. So which him was he? _

“Good evening to you Shirou” That child like voice it couldn’t be? Dread fills him as he turns around very carefully looking the small Albino dead in the eyes.

“I thought Master’s fought at night?”

Leaning forward her hands behind her back, she takes deliberate yet playful steps towards him. “They do but you’re not a Master anymore” her child like giggle wasn’t as malicious as before, more playful like when she smacked him with snowballs before meeting that priest. “I know everything there is to know. Riders Master has fallen so there are only four left, That weird girl is missing, the strangers from out of town took over as Caster’s master, and then there is the coward who hides in his towers using those stolen Assassins.” She dances around him playfully no matter how childish it seems all it does is well up anger inside of him. But what was the cause of the anger? Why was he so furious at her words? “And now you’re hoping to save Rider’s Master, yet you can’t find her right?” 

The moment she takes his hand he snaps, the rage at his own incompetence boils over “Shut up!” smacking hand away, she balks away slightly, the hurt in her eyes causing him to turn and look away from shame.  _So much was wrong, and he was taking it out on Illya rather than himself. Rin’s argument was sound, if a Mage was going berserk they should be put down. Yet that doesn’t mean it is right, If Sakura does wrong she must be punished, that doesn’t stop him though from protecting her. Punishment shouldn’t just mean death, so she can’t control her powers now, thata doesn’t mean she won’t in the future right?_

A hand pats his hair gently his train of thought broken as he stares down at Illya with apologetic eyes. “It’s okay to cry” her voice was soothing, like how he imagines an elder sister would sound, the warmth in her eyes easily matching her tone.

“You’re not mad?”

“Of course not Shirou I’m on your side.” Her fingers continue petting his hair, her long purple coat and matching hat make her look older than she is.

“You’re on my side?”

Backing away she tucks her hands back behind her back skipping away playfully before turning to look at him. “You asked about Kiritsugu Emiya. I lied I knew him. To be honest the whole reason I was born was so that I could win the grail war. But my own personal reason was to kill Kiritsugu and you Shirou, however if you say you are trying to protect someone dear to you. I admire that so there for I’m on your side now. It’s only natural to protect someone you love after all, I know all about love you know.” She smiles holding out a small framed picture of a man holding a much smaller Illya on his shoulders, looking closely at it it clicks who the man is Kiritsugu Emiya.

“Illya?” what was he supposed to say to that kind of image was she actually his sister?

“Run now little brother, she’s not far from here, over by the outlook.” She points to a place in the distance, takes every bit of restraint he has not to break into a run.

“Find Virginia please, please protect her she’s probably disorientated and scared right now.” It was all he could manage before his legs stop listening, he’s running as fast as he can.  _ Rin if the right thing is killing your loved ones, then I’ll be the villain to protect them both from you. _

Running as hard as his feet can carry him she comes into view hugging her knees crying near the far end of the brick outlook. “Sakura!” 

The fear in her eyes as she looks at him feels like a knife to his heart. Standing slowly she looks at him. “Shirou it’s you.” 

“Hey there” forcing a smile he starts towards her,  _ the flames of the fire from ten years ago filling his vision, she stands before a hole in the sky not unlike that night ten years ago, a black liquid pouring out of it. A person with white hair and tan skin has his hands around her neck, strangling her the life draining from her eyes. No like hell will he be that one. Charging he slams into the man, its him but he looks like a younger Archer, the man stares at him with confusion as Shirou pulls Sakura into his arms Kanshou appearing in his hand as he extends it towards the other him. _

_ “Can you really accept this fate? Will you abandon everything you hold dear for this choice?” various versions of him stand at the bottom of the hill staring up at him, judging him. “There is not future for Shirou Emiya this way” **Yeah so what.** _

Walking towards her, his mind settled he smiles at her, each step a firm agreement with his decision. “Come on now lets go home. You’ve still got a cold remember?” 

She flinches backwards as he keeps walking, looking down shame in her eyes as she digs at the chemical spilled on her collar. “I can’t go back, The stuff in that vial it wasn’t a poison. It’s more like an elixir that heightens the senses. Just a few drops thats all it took for me to completely lose control.” He could tell even in this rain that she was fighting back tears. “I ended up hurting you.” He keeps walking, eyes locked on hers.

He will keep walking, not stopping, not flinching but keep moving towards her. “You didn’t hurt me though, look I’m fine aren’t I?”

She clutches her chest tightly, the pain he could read on her face, it kept making his stomach do knots but he wouldn’t stop. “I’m the Matou Family mage and I kept that from you!”

Smile, keep that steady pace and smile “I did the same, I’m a master after all and I didn’t tell you.”

Tears fall from her eyes, the shock in them as she takes another step back, just one however as if she was surprised he kept coming. “The reason I spent so much time at your house was because I was scared to stand up to my grandfather. I said I was there to help you, and I was lying the whole time.” No matter how much she flails her arms, no matter how much she cries, keep going, she needs him now more than ever.

He says nothing getting closer and closer to her, his hands loosening slightly on the keys, the indent of a sakura flower pressing into his palm from his grip.

“All this time I’ve always known the truth, that I’m not the kind of person who deserves to be by your side. So everyday I kept telling myself ‘tomorrow I’ll pretend I don’t even know him and I’ll ignore him when we pass each other in the halls, and after school I’ll act like he’s a complete stranger. I’ll just walk back home all by myself and he’ll forget about everything all of it.”  Like hell he could forget about her. “ And I couldn’t do that! It was more terrifying than the time I put a knife to my wrist! I’m scared of lying to you, but I’m also scared of telling you the truth”

He kept walking, not slowing at all, even as she stares at her hands in disgust, in tears, in fear, even as she rips her heart open, he doesn’t stop, each step closer to her, clenching his jaw, he would only say what was needed. 

“Everything in my life was so scary, I couldn’t take a single step forward, I didn’t have any idea what to do!” she starts hugging herself crying heavy tears, tears larger than the heavy rain around them. No matter how much it stung to watch he didn’t stop moving, closer and closer he walks.

“And I didn’t want to give up my time with you, because for me, for me that was the only thing I had. The only thing that had any meaning to me” his eyes widen but he keeps walking to her, the puddles echoing with each heavy yet determined step.

_‘Someone I want to protect, someone who’s dear to me, I’ll do whatever I can to dry her tears. Since no one else will punish her when she’s in the wrong, she has to do it herself in order to atone. But I’ll take her by the hand and lead her out of the darkness. Even if no one will forgive her I will.’_ Stopping finally he stands before her looking at her with warm sympathetic eyes, he finally speaks. “It’s okay, if you won’t forgive yourself, then do it for the both of us. So quit your crying, I know all your terrible secrets now and I’m still here.” 

Sobbing again she clutches the middle of her blouse “That’s not enough, what happens next time I lose control? Someone could get hurt? So where can I go? Where does someone like me call home?!” No matter how much she tries to push him away he knowns she doesn’t want to be abandoned, nor would he. Simply extending his hand he opens his sore palm the keys she dropped back at the church before her. The gesture is simple but her eyes say she gets the message. 

“This is your home Sakura, Always” he smiles as she reaches out to take the keys, but she stops again pulling her hand back and goes back to clutching her blouse.

“I can’t, because I’m not a virgin Shirou” Enough! He runs forward pulling her into a hug, she doesn’t struggle, instead she cries into his shoulder as he slowly encloses his hand around hers so they are both holding the keys. He didn’t judge Virginia, why would he judge her. He didn’t care, he chose this path, he chose to be her hero and dammit he wasn’t going to back down at all. “It happened a long time ago at first, but ever since then I’ve been violated by all manner of things.” She just kept sobbing but her hand tightens around his, he wasn’t going to let go. “I don’t deserve your protection!” 

“But you will get it, Even if I have to stop you from taking your own life Sakura.” 

“Shirou..?”

He tightens his grip on her pulling her closer, the smell of the rain on her uniform filling his nostrils, her warmth radiating through him as he held her head to his shoulder protectively. “I will be a hero of justice for you alone Sakura” breaking the hug he smiles down at her, fighting back his own tears. “Lets go home”

As they exit the park, they see Rin with a poster tube slung over her shoulder and Archer standing side by side watching them approach. He only stops for a second standing slightly in front of Sakura, yet not releasing her hand as he stares the pair down with a warned threatening glare.

“Sakura.” 

“Big Sist..I mean Tohsaka” Stepping further in front of Sakura he glares daggers at Rin, his friend, yet right now she couldn’t be a bigger enemy, if she made a move he’s kill her even if that’s what it took to protect Sakura.

“Rin Tohsaka, follow the Mages way if you must, but Illya should prove a challenge even for you. Or help Virginia, but come near Sakura again and I will kill you” Even Archer seems a bit taken back by how coldly he just threatened Rin yet he wasn’t going to back down. He will protect her with his life if the need arises, Squeezing Sakura’s hand he continues to lead her home.

“Shirou Emiya, if you keep following this path, there is not future in which you obtain your ideals.” He means in which Shirou becomes Archer, yeah that much became clear in that weird daydream he keeps having.

“I abandoned it” with that he heard Rin running the opposite direction from them, hopefully she chose to help the girl rather than stupidly try to kill her. He will do what it take to protect Sakura, he will become a hero for her, and her alone. The indecision that had been gnawing at his stomach, was gone, his mind felt clear, as if the dream he’s been chasing for so long wasn’t quit what he wants. Now his desires felt sincere, just, and he would fully commit.

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Pacing the room with utter irritation at the sheer absurdity of the current situation Luvia bites her gloved thumb in what one would consider the most dignified manner in existence, this was getting irritating, it seems more people are focusing on with Suryale or this Sakura girl, and no matter what they do they can’t seem to keep her sister safe for more than a day before she goes missing again. What could she do though Caster knew the girl the best and frankly being able to track her the way she was had already greatly impressed the Senior Edelfelt heir, yet those Assassin’s goal seems to be to keep them away from Suryale.

If they could lure them out it would be one thing yet as her personal teacher stated Assassin’s master seems to be an idiot who doesn’t know how to properly utilize them. If only they could lure him out.. A soft tug on her sleeve pulls her out of her incessant thoughts looking next to her was Gray her hood up eyes looking into hers curiously. “Miss Luvia.. Why don’t we call her on her cell phone?” 

Wait, cell phone.. Right Caster said she had bought her one, but Caster didn’t remember the number since she was used to just dialing it at the temple from her cell’s phonebook. Upon evacuating none of them had gone back to get the phone so they had ruled it out honestly. “I suppose you are going to say during your excursion at the temple you managed to grab Caster’s phone?”

“We’ve had it yes, it just took most of yesterday to find a charger and get it working again” Luvia just stares at the younger girl, with a very irritated stare. 

“You’ve had it for two days..” Luvia calm down, breath, breath, one, two, three, four.. Her fist slams into a nearby chair never had she felt this humiliated. It was like a slap to the face, how did they forget to tell them they had gotten Caster’s phone.  _ What the hell were those two doing!? THATS WHY THEY WERE GONE ALL DAY!? _

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Gray quickly scurry back to hide behind her Master. “Lord El-Melloi II, when were you planning on telling us you had  ** CASTERS PHONE! ** **”** her restraint is gone by the end of the sentence she couldn’t restrain her anger anymore.  _ My sister has been missing, and magically getting a hold of her has been difficult but most Mages don’t know modern technology so it would have been REALLY fucking useful to know that we had her goddamn phone. _

“The phone was in terrible condition, it was covered in blood, and the screen was damaged. There was no point in telling you till we got it to a repair shop to make sure it worked, and that the memory was still intact. All day yesterday while Gray was recovering I was going to various shops to get it checked out.” Walking towards her she kept breathing heavily trying to calm down, it didn’t change the fact she was  ** MAD. **

“Why didn’t you tell me till now?!”  _ Calm down Luvia, breath, breath, thats right calm down. _ Taking a deep breath the rage slowly dissipates from within her, however her glare did not follow her mood.

“Making sure it works, and getting Caster her supplies was more important.” He wasn’t wrong, no Virginia was her responsibility no matter how much she wants to blame her troublesome cousin. Looking down at the command seals on her hand she takes another deep breath walking towards her servant who’s staring into a crystal ball.

“Caster have you found her?”  _ Breath you’re a Magus to the refined Edelfelt family this is unsightly behavior. _

“Up to a point, that forest has a very impressive barrier, if I try to enter it the castle owner will know. However going based on her being loaded into that car, owned by Berserker’s master, it is safe to say she’s with her at the moment.” The servant while doing a good job of hiding it Luvia could tell the woman was worried about Suryale. Walking towards Gray she takes the phone from the small girl handing it to Caster.

“Medea, this is your choice” Really it came down to a fifty fifty gamble, if the Suryale has her phone, it will either help or hurt her. Eye on the servant Luvia can feel the mental calculations going on in the womans head just from the expressionless look on her face. The servants hand hesitates, before quickly grabbing the phone and calling the only number on it.

“Virginia?” Watching the servants face light up with joy at hearing the voice on the other line was more than enough to help Luvia temporarily retire her resting bitch face. Figuring out their next move was easy, after reconnecting with Suryale they should figure out how to lure Assassin’s master out of hiding, then make him regret ever coming after the Edelfelt family, in a way that would send chills down any lord in the Clock towers back. 

“Master?” Glancing up Caster is holding out the phone to her. Taking it her stomach feels tight, something was wrong, she wasn’t sure why but she knew it, something was off. Holding it towards her ear, she hears an eerie child like laughter on the other line.

“Is this Caster’s Master?” The girls playful tone sends a chill down her spine, correcting her posture and stands up straight, chest out, deep breath.

“So this is Berserker’s Master?”  _ thats right, don’t let them know you’re worried, don’t let her have power over you.  _

“I’d like to invite you, Caster, and your guests staying with you to dinner at my castle tonight. Do not worry your ally is unharmed, and my guest, not a prisoner. I simply ask you let Sela pick you up in my car.” The girls voice wasn’t malicious, instead it felt honest, yet she knew very well there were some forms of vocal magic, yet none of the listed masters did that form of magic. No if her guess was right this girl was an Einzbern an alchemist.

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“What kind of Noble woman would I be if I turned down such and invitation” The woman on the other line went back to her laughing as Illya rolls her eyes looking down at the sleeping guest, she was frankly glad the girl willingly took the medication, it would have been hard to keep trust if she had to drug the girl. 

“Bring you’re servant, Sela will be by in half an hour” Hanging up the phone she folds the girls phone closed placing it on the nightstand by the bed. “Sela go get them, if numbers are correct it should be four people and a servant. They are my guests so treat them with respect.” The terse maid simply curtsies and leaves, the sound of her mothers car starting echo’s outside as Illya sits on the bed.

This girl, was a victim in this, wrong place wrong time, drawn into a war where two masters want to use her as a weapon, Makari and that interloper. Reaching out her pale hands trace over the scars on the girls back, she could feel the power from them. The artifact that rogue magus did to her, he implanted magical artifacts into a girls body in such a brutal manner. It was infuriating, this wasn’t much different than Zouken’s methods. This was stealing life, stealing gifts, forced synchronization. What the hell was that person thinking!? Third Rate alchemy, third rate rituals, third rate artifact implementation, it is utterly disgusting. “Lesrit please prepare the dining hall, and get one of Mother’s dresses for our guest here.”

Her whole life she was told her father abandoned her, that Shirou replaced her, yet if that was the case why could she not hate him. He was an utter idiot, reckless and fool hardy. Yet throughout this war he doesn’t act like her grand father claimed, he spent time with her, hell he even asked her to save a girl neither really knew just because he felt bad for her. No Shirou was her brother, she was his ally, and she was done with these stupid wars and how it was destroying her family. 

First thing to do would be drastically weakening Zouken’s Assassin, and the Interlopers by severing their servants connection from this girl. 

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Bazett Fraga Mcremitz stares at her prosthetic hand flexing the fingers of it, they felt so real it was unnerving, yet it didn’t remove the memory of her friend and mentor severing her arm, or the shame she felt being forced out of this grail war. Her fingers trace the bullet wound on her leg from her betrayal, she can’t use her mana in the limb and it was irritating to her. The shouting from the other room was getting to her, making her way back to the manors first floor she stairs down with cold eyes Lady Edelfelt, who was just getting off a cellphone. Caster was hunching over her crystal ball, while Grey and Lord El-Melloi II were relaxing on a nearby couch looking over some documents.

She needs to know, she needs to know this isn’t her just rolling over. “Lady Edelfelt”

The blond spun around quickly to look at her, yet somehow with enough grace to make her blue and white dress flutter as she did so. “Lady McRemitz how may I help you?”

Her eyes lock onto the blond drill tailed woman's, she needs to know the answer, she needs to know. “What is your wish for the grail? Why did you demand I hand over Caster? Tell me what was so important that you rob my clan of the chance to prove itself?”  _ Tell me Edelfelt heir. _

It was quiet for a moment as an annoyed grimace slid over the Heiress of the Edelfelt clans face. “I have no wish, I didn’t even want to set foot in this country again. My sister is in danger, and I came to get her back. I only took Caster because your magic circuits keep backfiring.”

“You deny me my right to participate for that!” Her voice cracks she was fed up with being a pawn for the Mage families, no one in the damn association wants to take her family seriously. Her fingers went numb from how tight her fist was, eyes staring down at the woman. 

“Then tell me what was your wish Bazett Fraga McRemitz?” The question cut deep, what would she have done had she won?

“I did actually, however it isn’t possible now, but as it stands without a Servant I cannot get back at the man who betrayed me, nor will my family be taken seriously.” Hopefully they didn’t ask what her wish was, because frankly explaining she wanted to incarnate Lancer to save him from his fate would be rather embarrassing. Her failed trump card was even more embarrassing.

Her eyes shift across the room as Lord El-Melloi II stands up staring at both of them with a calm scowl. “Before we have a conflict here let me see if I understand something. Lady Edelfelt your only concern right now is getting Suryale out of Japan and she refuses to leave while the Tohsaka master is in danger? Bazett you wish to get back at the man who betrayed you and be recognized for your families achievements rather than as a lackey? Is that what you are both saying?”

What catches Bazett off guard is how both she and Lady Edelfelt reply at the same time. “Yes”

He looks towards Caster “Caster, you were summoned so I suppose you have a wish for the grail. May we ask what it is?”

The Servant looks towards her master who simply nods. It kinda hurt to know that her original servant Lancer was stolen from her, he then dies being forced to attack them. 

“My wish was to have an honest loving partner who wouldn’t betray me like Jason. But I got that with Souichiro-sama. I guess my wish now would be simply incarnation so I can spend more time with Virginia even if it was only for a couple months. It felt real to me, it felt like the relationship I always wanted. It wasn’t an obsession forced on me by a goddess. She really does feel like my daughter.” Even Bazett was taken back by the sincerity in Casters words, she had no wish anymore, simple incarnation at most. Though it did leave the woman with a curious thought, why was it Mage society really did have some of the worst family situations in human history? It really was a problem like how did they exist into modern age with so many parental and familial issues?

“I have a proposition then to keep this alliance peaceful. Bazett you continue to support Lady Edelfelt and Suryale, the Edelfelts and the El-Melloi clan while I lead it will back you and your clan in the Clocktower. When we find the man who betrayed you we keep his servant busy while you deal with him. However my terms for cooperation come with the clause once this war is over everyone in the alliance agrees to back me in dismantling this ritual so it never happens again.”

The blond Heiress was the first to speak her reply is so fast it catches Bazett off guard “I accept, The Edelfelt clan already hates this ritual, Magdalene was killed because of this stupid ritual, the Humiliation of the third war still hangs over us to this day as well.”

Not wasting a beat “I accept, however I am not stupid, we must agree to a gaes, this will keep treachery from happening again” her fist begins to ease as both parties nod in agreement. Good this way she did not need to worry about being stabbed in the back again. The problem still came down to, her replacement arm was really amazing, but the damage to her legs magical circuits from that gun keep her at only a quarter of her power. While Caster can augment her it means her runes are not usable unless preloaded. However her crest was safe that much she knew since the McRemitz crest was unique in being a pathogen passed by blood rather than an actual amalgamation of circuits. That though did little for the issue of her bodies physical circuits being damaged. 

“Very well I will begin working on the scroll, if the terms are all in agreement we all sign is that a fair deal?” his question is met by them both nodding again.

“Bazett I have a question though, where is Fragarach?”  _ Oh crap right she ** HAD  ** to ask about the missing Noble Phantasm. _

“I um..lost it when I challenged my betrayer before the incident at the park.”

The four people in the room all give her a look, one that made her feel like the village idiot insulting a royal dignitary. 

Pinching the brim of his nose in disbelief, not that she could blame him, honestly she’d react the same way in his shoes. That’s like telling King Arthur you lost Excalibur or something similarly dumb. “Who betrayed you? And what does your Noble Phantasm look like?”

“Kirei Kotomine, the overseer he called me when I arrived and ripped off my arm before I could even finalize my contract with Lancer. It is inside an armored tube”

“You mean like this one?” Caster waves them over to an image of the Tohsaka master running as fast as she can with a tube slung over her back.

“Yes thats Fragarach, we need to get it back from her.” It was honestly extremely insulting that another master had her noble phantasm, but using it was another matter so for now she has no choice but to let it go.

“Luvia the Gaes is finished, come check it over you as well Bazett, the Einzbern driver should be here soon anyway.” Glancing back she saw El-Melloi II holding the paper, her eyes turn back to the woman running towards the forest her weapon on the girls back.  _ All I can do is wait for now. _

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He had enough already, his master while normally cool and collected was being outright stupid at this point. Manifesting in front of Rin he grabs her by her arms and forces her to stop running. “Master  ** ENOUGH ** **!**” this was utterly stupid and not going to achieve anything yet she kept struggling screaming at him to let her go. “Master what is going to the Einzbern castle going to achieve? We have no plan or goal, you don’t even know if that boy was telling the truth.”

“Let me go Archer! I need to find her I need to..”  


“You need to  ** What!? ** First you decided at the church to kill both Sakura and Virginia and now you are in an utter panic like a scared girl. You are acting just like the night you wasted a gem reviving that boy!” Still gripping her arms he forces her against a tree glaring into her eyes. “You need to retreat for tonight and make a decision, you then need to make a plan because right now that Boy is acting more like a Master than you are!” Her face fell as he yells at her, his words sinking in how childish she’s acting. For once he’s caught off guard by how she refuses to fight him on this.

“You’re right Archer, lets go home for now. We need a plan anyway in case we have to deal with Berserker” he watches her heft the heavy tube on her shoulder around before climbing into his arms.

“I’m sorry Master.” He really was the words were painful to say but for once Rin was and is acting very much out of character and needs to cool off. He leaps into the air, and begins making his way back to their home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have the next to mostly written sitting in my scrivner doc. I'm really sorry about the two month wait, my life was kinda a mess. Hopefully the next two don't take as long, the next few chapters are the last ones that follow the movies mostly by point after that the story will start diverting much more heavily. Please let me know if you are enjoying this.
> 
> I originally wrote the Shirou scene from Rin's POV thus I'm not sure if I had added the previous scene in the park with Shirou, so if it isn't there I apologize. No matter how I wrote it in the ten rewrites Rin's POV didn't have the same weight as Shirou's


	18. Inheritance of a forgotten age

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Big Andy 
> 
> RIP 2020

_ Looking at the woman before him he cannot help but smile. The woman who would have been a queen in another time beside him holding their princess, he could see her getting along with his children of an age gone by. But it was for naught the Age of Gods had long since ended. He only exists because of that island, their home a world in between man and the reverse. His Father had been furious when he slew Perseus swearing that any further children he had would be bound to that forsaken island. Poseidon was true to his word, his second child Echidna she could only leave the Shapeless Island for short periods of time her life had been bound to it, in a way she had been given divine authority over an empty island that no one could find. However it was surprising to discover Echidna was able to use the Island to create portals to move her massive body similar to Zues’s ability to teleport. _

_ That Island started slipping between the Reverse Side of the World and humanities world, its Texture becoming untethered by his fathers curse. So to keep his own home as well as the graves of his mother and aunts safe, he left his kingdom and left Callirrhoe’s side choosing to stay on the island and use the last of his power to anchor it in place. Waking after a Millennia he found his daughters children had since been killed, their bodies used as perverse trophies for the Pantheon of his father and uncle. _

_ “Chrysaor? Do you need to return to the Island?” his attention returns to the woman before him, smiling at her he reaches up to brush some of her sandy brown hair away from her eye patch. “I do, but I would like you to come with me this time.” She places her hand against his smiling at him, her blue eye meeting his crystalline green. _

_ “Will I be able to survive there? Isn’t it between worlds like Avalon?” _

_ Her worries made sense the Ether concentration there and Mana Density were much higher than on earth, more on par with that from the his parents time. “Wear that blazer I gave you, it has a filtration barrier installed in it. You won’t have a problem breathing there, but while there you probably will not age.” _

_ She smiles at him pulling him into a hug “I’ll go with you Chrysaor as for my age it doesn’t matter.” _

_ This woman she was a light in a sea of darkness, that eye of hers made their meeting possible. Honestly he wasn’t expecting to be forcefully pulled off the Shapeless isle, much less by a girl in her twenties. She never really revealed to him how she did it, just that she saw a dark future and went with the outcome she preferred. Smiling he watches her coming back with her blazer on it was snug and form fitting to her small body, having originally just been a jacket for her suit he modified it with ancient spells long since forgotten. _

_ “I’m excited getting to see your home, the legendary Shapeless isle.” What he had not expected however was her to be such a fan of his, to his knowledge most of his legends had since been forgotten by his choice his noble phantasm, his Aigle-Herophone the anti hero weapon. Severing his own legend was part of the reason he did not end up trapped in the Reverse side of the world, the other being his using up as much of his divinity as possible to keep the island from being lost. So her request was one he was all but willing to concede to, his physical form was breaking down. _

_ Taking her in his arms he reaches out the air around them rippling as a portal opens, he leads her through onto the island surrounded by Okeanos, Textures long since forgotten by the World. It was here his next child would command, his last heir before his powers fade completely. This is the world of man, it was only fitting his next child would be part human. “Welcome to the Shapeless Isle” he turns towards her smiling as she walks over to the grave statues of his mother and dearest aunts. _

_ “I take it the tall one is Medusa, your mother correct?” she points to the statute in the middle and he cannot help but nod. He hopes one day he can see her again, his whole life he shared her memories, her pain, but never once could he spend a moment with her. _

_ “The one on the right with the golden hand regalia is Stheno, while the one on the left with the bow was Euryale." Walking towards her he places his hands around her small but muscled hips, looking over her shoulder he sees what she’s looking at. The curved sword Harpe, while in the hands of Perceus it was a stick with a curved blade, while in his mothers care it was a purple and black scythe with a several meters long chain, and next to that was his golden sword Aigle-Herophone a blade so filled with his hate from birth it severs legends. _

_ “I wish to stay here tonight, let us do your suggestion” his suggestion, she still calls it that despite it being the destiny she chose the one he was seemingly locked into. _

_ “Alright” as he smiles his body begins shrinking, his hair growing returning to its lavender color his true form. He was once again a copy of his mothers childhood form, later tonight he could shape shift again thanks to the excess of Ether around them. It didn’t change the fact though he knew his time was running out even if her request was successful he would need a host very soon. _

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Slowly opening her eyes Virginia looks around the room, her glasses were back on her face, glancing around the room she realizes she’s back in the guest room she went to sleep in, but at her feet was a small girl with a hooded cloak sleeping with her head on the bed. From the looks of it she fell asleep sitting while watching Virginia sleep. That dream was weird, her father and that woman who was she? It was confusing yet this was the second time this happened seeing his memories as a dream.

However this did answer her one question why wasn’t her father protecting her if how the dream went was anything to go on he might be running out of power, she should probably inform the rest of their group. Sliding off of the bed she finally gets a good look at the girl in the ash colored cloak lined with light grayish fur trim around the hood. A black and smoke colored tartan skirt and long boots, she remembers this was the Lord’s apprentice but really she never much interacted with her. Wasn’t her name Gray or something like that? Why was she at the foot of her bed?

“So you finally awoke Lady Suryale Edelfelt, if you do not mind I have a simple question for you.” Freezing at the deep voice of a heavy smoker her head slowly turns to face the man sitting in the shadows. His long dark hair and similarly matching suit, was only accented by a red scarf he wore unwrapped similar to a person out of those old photo’s of Maggy’s.

“Where you watching me sleep?” keep it cool, he won’t be stupid enough to hurt you like that bastard did, no he’s a lord he’s not going to murder Luvia.. No he wouldn’t would he? No Rin treated him with respect, she isn’t naive she would have warned her to avoid him if he was dangerous. But Rin tried to kill her.. Could her word be trusted?

“We’ve been keeping an eye on you most of the night, With the Einzberns help and Caster’s frankly terrifying magical knowledge we managed to finally sever that contract to Caster and the Assassins without severing them from their masters. Now I have a question for you, Do you plan to stay in this war to the end?”

That was honestly not the question she was expecting, but if she did leave now she wouldn’t have to worry about that man who hurt her. But where could she go? To a family who doesn’t know her? Back to an abandoned town in the US? “No I won’t.”

He stands slowly approaching her his eyes boring into hers even at her larger than average high she was still a an inch or two shorter than the Lord before her. “You aren’t a Master, you have no stake in this war frankly you being here risks you turning into a Heretic. So why do you stay here? Luvia Edelfelt is only here for you, if you choose to leave we all can go back to London.”

He wasn’t wrong, Luvia she was here specifically for her, Rin’s actions would make this easier since she did plan to kill them. But no she couldn’t, shaking her head she glares into his eyes with a cold fury. “There is still that thing running lose, the Bastard who did this to me is still alive, I don’t want to leave things like this with Tohsaka nor do I wish to leave Caster alone again.” As if to emphasis her point her hand reaches out as a portal much larger than her usual ones opens a sword hilt pokes out, her fingers grip it aiming it at the man. It glows a divinely golden sheen, yet just looking at it instills a primordial terror in her subconsciousness, from the look on his face he felt it as well.

“I will not leave. If I did Maggie.. I mean Magdalene would be furious with me if I backed down from something like this. That shadow, that old man who captured me, the person who killed my mother. Adopted or not Maggie was my family she did not deserve to be murdered like that, she didn’t..” Her fingers clenching the sword as it shakes in her hand tears welling up in her eyes. “She didn’t deserve to be Butchered like that! I will not abandon this battle until I’ve rend-ed his head from his neck!”

“Well you finally sound like you’ve made up your mind little goddess” from the tone of the voice and the light foot falls it was rather obvious who was standing behind her Illyasviel von Einzbern. She doesn’t care though her eyes still locked in the Lord who was called El-Melloi II his smile was just pissing her off.

“Lady Edelfelt, I would recommend you lower your weapon I simply wished to judge if were worthy of your title.” She wasn’t sure why but the way he says that she feels the sense of being at the end of the world in a desert facing an endless ocean. Lowering her sword a portal appears at her feet releasing her grip the blade as it sinks inside as if the floor was a liquid. “Your father was Crysaor correct?”

What did this have to do with anything? “Yes he is.” She turns to go sit on the bed as Illyasviel and Luvia approach her, the hooded girl finally awake was staring at her with a warning glare.

“Sir wasn’t he a boar with wings?” The girl looks towards Lord El-Melloi II curiously. Honestly Virginia didn’t know know next to anything about the legends of her father, Maggie rarely ever spoke of myths regarding her family instead spending all her time teaching her magecraft.

“Lady you are correct and incorrect. Some legends stated he was a boar with wings and golden tusks, others say he was a giant with a golden sword, others claimed he was the first king of Iberia.” His pacing was making her anxious but he held up a photo of her and Maggie. Maggie in her long red gown smiling down at her when she was eight her blindfold was crimson and made of scales with runes carved into it. The day this was taken Maggie spent a fortune on her gown, while not as extravagant as Luvia’s it was still very detailed making her look as if she was a small princess. A Violet dress with deep red accents made of delicate lace, the sleeves were able to be removed in an emergency, simple leather flats and her hair had been done up in long plait, her hair was brown back then light brown mild lavender highlights. “Tell me Lady do you notice something about this photo?”

“Sir she kind of looks like that woman from the Evocation department, but she looks sorta like Rider.” Gray looks at the photo with interest, her body language is hard to judge though from large cloak.

“He could shape shift, there isn’t a point in continuing this line of thinking.” She lays back on the bed with a heavy sigh staring up at the canopy. “When I sleep I sometimes see his memories, he looked like a smaller Rider. I don’t know where he is though.” She didn’t want to mention the isle not yet, he might be there if he is maybe she can finally get some answers.

“If he can shapeshift then that means you most likely are able as well, it could mean that Atrum’s ritual is just warping it. However we do know your emotions play into it heavily, so try to keep your head about you Lady Edelfelt.” While his theory was sound, since every time she gave into that voice she was mutating more it didn’t change the fact she did not like this man, he was way far too conceited she wasn’t sure why but he really was infuriating.

“Whatever we should formulate a plan in the morning, I just want to take a bath my scales feel gross if they haven’t been cleaned in a while, and its been about three days”

“A wise plan sister, Gray and I will go with you, Bazett is still recovering from her surgery earlier or I’d say bring her.” Surgery what surgery? Well honestly right now it doesn’t matter she just wants to get this sweat and slime off of her body, she feels as if she had eggs poured on her.

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Caster materializes before the women as they approach the castles bathing hall. “Master if I may, would you allow me to join you in the bath?” she had only touched Virginia’s circuits for a very brief period of time to undo that fools ritual but there was something there she needs to confirm. She saw divine authority something no demi-god should have, let alone a modern one. But everything about this girl was strange, her magical training did not just focus on Jewel Magecraft like Luvia, she had two affinities Water and Earth as well as a special affinity Petrification. Those eyes, and her divinity already being almost on par with Heracles after his burdens.Even with the knowledge of the legends and Medusa nor her sisters that was granted by the grail. None of the sisters were particularly powerful yet this girl she was strange it was as if someone shoved the divinity of all three sisters into her.

“I do not see why that would be a problem” The servant smiles at her masters words following them into the massive bathing hall that made the public baths in town even the ones in ancient Greece looks small. Frankly it was a little disturbing how massive this Tub is, it was more akin to a swimming pool than a tub. Shaking the surprise from her face she dematerializes her clothes wrapping a towel around herself, walking over to remove Virginia’s necklace and stops knowing full well unless Seno and Rayl wanted to be removed they couldn’t, not just that they would fight back. “I must say your wings are quite impressive dear” smiling as she leads the girl she’s cared for the last several months to the water with a queenly grace.

“If that lord is correct is there a way I could control my transformation mother?” glancing back she watches Virginia slowly lower her body into the water her tail coiling around her body ever so slowly.

Glancing back her Master and the smaller girl approach the water, the smaller girl placing a bird cage by the edge however she lowers a towel over it.

“Caster modern magic does not have shape shifting the closest we have is Beast Magecraft, but even that is temporary.” Her master walks past her with a soft cloth “Suryale sit over here I’ll groom your wings for you” Well thankfully the two are getting along better now, it is kind of sweet watching the blond woman gently wash those massive golden wings.

“If you will allow it Master I would like to reconnect with her magical Circuits there are two types of magic that allow transformations like hers.”

“As long as she agrees to it, if you weren’t a Servant I’d kill you for even asking that”

“Mother please, I want to know” the girl had lowered the sponge she was using to scrub her scaled arm offering it to the Servant. Chewing her lips Caster nods with a smile, after all even if her guess is wrong she can still learn something that might help. Reaching out her palm presses into her arm where the crest had been planted, her ancient circuits connecting with Virginia’s and with that she feels herself being pulled into the girls inner world.

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It was dark, she was on some sort of island covered in fog blood raining from the sky a small girl stands before Caster’s eyes smiling. “Princess of Colchis, Niece of Circe, Cousin of the mighty Minotaur I would like to say it is a pleasant surprise. But I have been expecting you, or better to say we’ve been expecting you” The girls body shifts into a grown woman, darker brown hair with purple highlights the woman looks very similar to the photo of the younger Virginia.

It was still a little weird how she was here on this island, while still in the tub but then again when dealing with gods she gave up questioning it long ago. “Get to the point Chyrsaor, You should know my distaste for gods using me so what does the Hero Slayer want with me?”

The girl simply chuckles as their body takes on a more masculine form one that looks a lot like Heracles. “I do not have much time, my divine power is fading and even with my host I can only leave this island one more time before I join the rest of that bastards pantheon on the Reverse side of the world. There will come a point she needs to use my sword her ear regalia has the memories of how to use it, it’s how she keeps seeing my memories. My daughter needs to listen to her, listen to Euryales copy inside the Regalia.”

Narrowing her eyes at the man as he returned to the feminine form that looked like Virginia when they first met, he said a copy of Euryale. Those sisters were supposed to have died years ago but he’s saying they still exist yet this wasn’t important not right now anyway. “I will tell her, but I need to know something as well. What is the nature of her mutation, and why do her eyes act so differently than your mothers?”

“You could say that synchronization ritual that Poseidon loving bastard did to her modified her gifts. She originally had my form of shape shifting but instead it was warped into the skill Self Modification. Her eyes though that is because their fully matured while she isn’t. Her eyes are inherited, neither her mother nor I know how she was born with mothers eyes but they are matured to the degree of Gorgon’s before death, Similarly her Divinity is much higher because of what happened to Stheno and Euryale.”

Her eyes widen slightly “wait you don’t mean Gorgon ate her sisters and absorbed their divinity?”

He smiles at her weakly nodding “yes mix in the Regalia and her divine gown boosting her divinity, the Edelfelt crest which has a demigod ancestor in it, her divinity is quite high. But I’m sure you noticed she inherited Gorgon’s traits as well, that hatred can warp her she needs to resist it.”

She felt a hand gripping her wrist most likely someone was trying to severe her bodies connection to the circuit. “How am I on this island?”

“Simple this is her authority, her inner world, her domain. The moment she was born the island recognized her as its new guardian, taking Harpe into her hands simply solidified her Authority. Now go slayer of my kin, protect her.” The grip on her arm was getting tighter her arm being wrenched back white blinding light flooding the world around her. As it fades she’s back in the bathing hall her towel having since fallen into the water. Her Master, Ginny and the small girl were staring at her dumbfounded.

——————————————————-

Quickly relaying everything that happened she sits down in the water resting her back against the wall, her long blue hair flowing out around her like an light blue flower. “That is everything, until you can learn to control that skill you should hang on to that necklace. But Virginia you should take your fathers advice and try learning what you can from Rayl.” Leaning back in the water she watches her Master and Virginia as they bathe. So the question still comes down to what are they going to do about the servants left. What are they going to do about that shadow creature, and how are they going to find her former master.

She killed him, she’s positive she did yet some how all the evidence points to him being alive still. So the question comes down to how is he still alive? Also why is the administrator doing nothing about this flagrant rule breaking, but he might also be in on this since as Bazett told them he was the one who ambushed and nearly killed her. Pinching the bridge of her noise she lets out a rather audible sigh this was going to be difficult. But right now Illya’s plan to try and lure them here was a sound one between her and Berserker they make a frightening pair. Even if they didn’t get along in the past Caster refuses to let that kind of animosity keep them from completing their objective. One thing was certain Atrum pissed off the wrong Servant, and he was going to suffer for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I'm back to working on this after a lot of IRL stuff happened. So this is the point where my story starts to diverge heavily from the movies plots.


	19. Storming the Castle

Sitting up in her bed Rin shields her eyes from the sun as they adjust her eyes fall on the stuffed snake sitting at the foot of her bed. It brought a warm feeling to her chest remembering how she got it. A few weeks before the war Virginia had asked her to take her around town, even stumbling over her words till she could say the word date. It was utterly adorable honestly. They met up that Sunday near the bridge to new town, their teacher having dropped Virginia off. Frankly it was surprising to see him stop to give Virginia a head pat, he even gave both of them money and told them to have fun. The robot as Mr Kuzuki had become known, yet around his wife and their adopted child he was very much a stiff yet fatherly figure. She and Virginia had spent most of that day just walking around town, but they came across an arcade and decided to try their luck. Well more specifically Virginia tried her luck, Rin felt utterly confused by the contraptions inside. After a few rounds of something called a claw game, her guess was because of the massive metal claw that was prone to dropping things, Virginia pulled free a giant plush snake. The girl was so happy that her smile was beyond infectious as she jumped up and down for joy. On their way home Virginia had insisted Rin take the plushy, to which she relented.

She was so adorable, the girl was so sweet when she finally opens up, yet Rin betrayed that. When Rider had attacked them even though it was Sakura’s orders Virginia jumped in front of them and fought Rider to protect them, she had done so out of love for her friends. Sakura, Shirou, Virginia, even Luvia despite being a rich bitch, they all picked a side, yet she was still here struggling to live up to her fathers wishes. Did she even have a wish? Not really, no matter how much she thinks on it there isn’t one that she can’t do on her own.

The door to her bedroom opens to Archer in his full attire standing with a tray of food in his hands looking towards her with a stern expression which was only slightly betrayed by his pink apron. “Have you made a decision, master?”

“Archer do you have a wish for the grail?” she looks up at him as he places the tray on her lap, he simply shakes his head.

“I got my wish last night” that was surprising but it confirms her theory.

“Archer this may sound crazy but your hatred of Shirou despite how similar you both are, your admiration of Saber, your both skilled with bows.. Forgive me if this sounds crazy Archer but is your true name Emiya Shirou?”

“It isn’t crazy at all Master. Only a genius like you would figure it out after all. Yes I am a possible future for him, but I never had a wish for the grail. My reasons for being here are my own.” He pours her tea as she thinks intently.

“I want to end this war and use the grail to free my sister from Zouken.” He looks at her intently after this information. She knows what he’s thinking without him saying it. He wants to know if she’s going to go back on his words after this, but her mind is made up. Killing one berserk mage is one thing, killing not just her sister, but her crush, and however many others in the process? No, she wasn’t that kind of person.

“Master, you realize once you walk down this path there is no going back. Correct?” His words cut straight through, her she knew what he meant. She had to decide was she going to keep pretending to be a perfect coldly logical Magus? Or was she going to be Rin Tohsaka.

“I’m not going to keep fooling myself, our first order after eating is to go to Illyasviel and make an alliance with her, we need a way to beat Zouken after all. Plus you said Luvia and Casters group went there last night correct? All the better, I’m tired of being a shitty sister.” She smiles up at him quickly eating the eggs he made her before handing the tray back. “Archer. Your cooking is what gave away your identity, seriously you and Emiya.” She chuckles smiling to herself “Archer go clean up and give me time to prepare”

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She wasn’t really sure why her master or Shirou had asked her to join them for breakfast, seemingly more confused when they insisted she eat with them even going so far as to provide a knife and fork. Letting out a sigh she smells the delicious combination of spices and herbs mixed into the omelette as her hair cascaded around her in a manner not unlike a cloak.

“So Senpai, what should be our next step?” Her Master really did adore this boy, something she couldn’t fault her for even if he was idiotically stupid at times. She had relied on her sisters in a similar manner to how her Master relied on this young man.

“We cant handle Zouken on our own, so our best bet would be to seek out an alliance.”

Taking another bite of her eggs she chimes in without breaking her rhythm cutting another egg in the process “That would be the wisest course of action” Rider quickly sticks her newly sliced piece in her mouth enjoying the savory flavor and fluffy texture.

“But who’s left? Zouken and Assassin, whoever is controlling that group of assassins, Tohsaka and Archer, that blond woman and Caster then Illya and.. Berserker”

“Illya seems like the best bet Senpai, but Caster isn’t that bad of a choice either.” There a was a very quick blink and you miss it flare up of jealousy in her masters voice when saying Caster. “Rider what did your scouting last night tell you?”

Placing her knife and fork down gently she looks up, her hand feeling around for the glass near her. “Caster’s Master went to Berserker’s Masters castle last night. I believe they are aligning to defeat the other Assassin user. Casters entire party went along, their mansion while still heavily warded is currently empty. Archer’s Master went back to her manor after a fight with her servant, and the two masters of the Assassins are preparing to attack most likely Berserkers manor. But there is another problem” She starts drinking from the glass, before placing it down gently. “Berserker’s Master has Virginia. She hasn’t left the manor since arriving”

“So while Caster and her Master might be there to make an alliance they might also be there since Illya has Virginia as a hostage. Wait, now that I think about it, Sakura you were able to control Virginia before right? How did you do that?”

“I would like to know that as well Master.” She had felt a connection with the girl stronger than she did with her master and to be honest it was rather unnerving.

“I don’t know Rider, I could feel her connected to my command spells I could also see her memories like yours Rider but its weird, when I see her memories they’re similar to yours but from when you were.. Different”

That was disconcerting picking up her fork she eats the last piece food “Gorgon..” Pausing she places her fork back down, she had a pretty good idea what was going on now and she was not thrilled. In fact the better word would be she is PISSED

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“Archer did you see that explosion? We need to hurry!” She shouts running forward the magical circuits in her legs burning as she chants “Es ist groß, Es ist klein” her legs suddenly being filled with immense power and energy. _ I need to hurry that wasn’t something the Assassins could pull off _ _!_ Looking before her, her eyes fall on Shirou who had since fallen to the ground a large burst of mana coming straight towards the both of them. _ This better work. _Tossing an emerald into the air “Schild groß!” the gem rapidly grew in size cracking but not breaking under the blast.

“Tohsaka!?”

“Emiya seems we had the same idea, We can catch up later we need to hurry. Illya, Virginia, and Luvia are up ahead.” Grabbing his arm she pulls him to his feet and keeps running. It wasn’t until she starts to get passed the destroyed stone walls does she finally see what was the cause of explosions. A warrior in black armor, from her guess, another Saber fighting Berserker in the lake, the terrifying aspect was that the Saber was pushing him back. Turning her head to look back up the path she feels a hand pull her quickly to the side as a pair of knives fly past her. Turning her head she’s surprised to see Virginia appearing beside her. _ Why do I keep forgetting she can do that?! _

“Rin we can settle our issues later that bastard is targeting you!” before she can react the woman has drawn her scythe and lunges at another Assassin as dragon tooth skeletons start emerging from the ground surrounding her as well as a group joining Virginia “Run!”

_ Don’t have to tell me twice _ _._ Reaching down she picks up the poster tube she had dropped and takes off sprinting again really thankful she never misses leg day. As she rounds the next fork leading towards the castle her eyes fall upon Shirou trying to fend off a couple of the assassins with a metal rod. Pulling a small ruby from her pocket she hurls it at the servants “Kleine Fackel” light exploding around the group as she bolts in grabbing his arm and moving as fast as her reinforced legs will carry her. The assassins it seems were not being controlled by a Master skilled in deception, without an ambush those numbers didn’t mean that much, not when facing someone like Caster who every time she looks around more of those golems are appearing. “Archer get a vantage point and help Berserker do not try to kill him, take that weird Saber out!”

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** ‘Suryale head back! Let Bazett take over grouping them. Caster is almost ready.’ **Great now we need to see if I can actually do this. Yes that Island may have true Ether but I still need the regalia to even summon a gate to get my weapons. Running as fast as her legs would take her she slams her scythe into the side of the nearest castle turret, using her momentum to throw herself higher pulling the weapon back with the chain. It was still a clunky weapon but she was starting to understand it better. Eyes locking on Caster who was flying nearby she thrusts her arm out the scythe returning to its home, as that portal closes.

_ ‘Trust us little snake. Visualize the entrance location behind that woman then chant with me and myself’ _ Rayl’s words were at least much kinder than Seno’s but she does as told, closing her eyes and focusing right behind Caster.

“An island sanctuary, that became a land of hate, come forth and open up a gate.” Seriously that sounded utterly stupid and of course. “Nothing happened?”

_ ‘Of course it was a silly little rhyme’ _reaching up she flicks her earrings then flicks her hand regalia listening to both scream out in annoyance.

“Would you help me instead of playing pranks!” closing her eyes she reaches out with both hands trying to visualize a portal it feels as if part of her is tearing apart but she keeps focusing the gun firing just as Luvia showed her. The air behind Caster rips open a door to the Shapeless Isle, leaking True Ether to those nearby.

In the tale of Icarus he was blinded by the desire to reach the heavens, his wings of wax melting after he flew too close to the sun. The point of this mild thought was simply Suryale knew what he saw in that moment, hundreds of thousands of magical circles forming in the sky as beam after beam tears into the ground leaving molten craters. Each crater was an equal length trench leading towards the lake, the blast was so jaw droppingly powerful that even Berserker had taken cover as the world around him explodes. Had she not seen Caster unleash the spells herself she would be positive they had pissed off Artemis.

** ‘Holy shit!’ **hearing Luvia and Waver both let out equally surprised reactions to was, to be honest, rather funny. But even keeping the gate open for a few seconds was draining her, without really commanding it to it shut again.

Pressing her finger to the radio in her ear “I cannot open another one. That took a lot out of me, I need time to replenish my mana.” Collapsing against the far wall she felt weird she never ran out of mana without it being externally drained yet she was so utterly depleted now.

** ‘Caster you took out at least half of his remaining Assassins not all but more than enough to put him on the defensive, he only has twenty or so left.’ ** That Teacher came up with this idea and frankly she was surprised Lord El-Melloi II’s idea worked but it had.

Reaching into her pocket for a jawbreaker sized crystal, apparently it was made from Atrum’s attempt to impress Caster, the thought of eating it made her sick but this was an emergency. Opening wide she swallows the crystal choking briefly as her throat morphs slightly to allow it passage to her stomach. The feeling of her stomach trying to break up the stone was enough to tell her this would work. Pulling her bow free from her shoulders she ties a ruby to the arrow before knocking it.

The legions of Dragon tooth soldiers forming all around the Einzbern castle was impressive, even after that massive magical hellfire Caster unleashed she could still form this many of her golems. On the outskirts of the forest far from the entrance she could see that dirty old man made of nothing but worms, aiming her bow, checking the angle and wind she looses her arrow as it flies true. Near a body of water, a high concentration gem and the arrow for delivery. All she needs is for it to land close enough to him.

As it gets closer and closer she chants the final words “Lord of water, heed my call.” The nearby lake that was now filling with debris the water lashes out lunching at the old man as his body starts to break apart into worms being engulfed into the water as tendrils upon tendrils lash out at each one. Attacking as if the water itself was the mighty Kraken of myth, she couldn't help but be glad Caster forced her to spend so much time practicing.

** “Caster’s attack did nothing on that Servant attacking Berserker, Gray can you lend us your strength?” **The lords voice is rather desperate yet the thought that the blackened servant was unaffected was utterly terrifying to think about.

** “Teacher...” **

** “Gray I’ll protect you” ** _Luvia?_ Well she should probably head over as well to assist them, yet as she approaches the turret edge in the blink of an eye a stray mana burst slams into the tower she’s on sending her flying off. Out of the corner of her eye she can see that irritating old man escaping her spell and dispersing his body. It burns oh dear father it burns, being able to eat mana did not stop the pain associated with concentrated blasts nor the damage.

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Staring down at the rather amusing battle the golden man known as the King of Hero’s watches the interesting Demi-goddess go flying into a wall after the blackened Servant hits her during her last strike on Berserker. Honestly he had been bored for most of this war especially watching that girl who should just up and die slowly merge with that faker corrupting the grail.

_ “See anything Gilgamesh?” _

“Just your former friend fighting off those pathetic Assassin’s, this battle is quite enjoyable Kotomine.”

_ “If Bazett is there it would be imperative for you to kill her as soon as possible. She is someone who I fear would give most servants a difficult fight.” _

“Watch your words Mongrel. You make it sound as if you think she could be even close to my level” That was insulting and frankly it was incredibly irritating to hear fear in Kotomine’s voice no matter how well hidden it is.

_ “If the target is there I suggest luring her here. My former student should attract that demi-goddess, while Bazett’s death should weaken that usurper master.” _

“Watch your tone Kotomine.” Glaring out at the various battles going on, approaching the Faker’s master would be difficult to pull off without being seen, nor was he an assassin. Honestly the whole idea of this just was insulting. But that Demi Goddess would make a perfect grail, possibly better if her blood was similar to the legends of Gorgon’s blood being an immortality elixir.

Kidnapping that master was pointless when he could just grab the goddess herself with his chains of heaven. She was after all currently injured and regenerating after that servants blast. Yes that would do nicely he could toss her into the vault with his treasures. Let that woman kill Kotomine and he removes two birds one stone all he would need then is that dolls heart. Stepping forward he falls out of the tree pulling a hat out of his vault and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

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Running towards the stone turret Virginia was on, Rin couldn’t help but worry, especially after that mana burst tore the building to shreds. Large stone bricks were everywhere, making navigating a hellish experience. Yet, against a nearby wall there she lay. Badly burned and part of her clothes destroyed as skin sizzled, yet she was alive.

“Virginia!” panicking, she runs towards her to pull her free of the debris before looking around and seeing Luvia running towards her as they both pull the girl free. For some reason though Virginia seemed a lot shorter than usual, like was she always Rin’s height? Wait her hair was brown again!?

“Well that makes things easier.” Glancing back over her shoulder a man with golden blond hair stands before them, golden portals appearing behind him various weapons poking out of them. “Give the girl here mongrels”

Looking towards her cousin for the briefest of seconds they both aim their fingers at the man, holding them like guns. Like hell they would just hand her over, who even was this fool? Three black orbs fly at the man a heavily weaponized spell known as Gandr something only their families could pull off. Wait three?

“So... you’re here...” glancing back Virginia was back on her feet, her finger extended like theirs her body still charred and not regenerating that alone was enough to send a chill down her spine. The world around them explodes as another mana burst tears the wall to the mans back to rubble Berserker and that Blackened Saber where going at it still. She wasn’t sure how much longer Illya’s servant could last though.

As the wall explodes Rin swears the world slows down as Virginia lunges at the man while throwing Rin and Luvia behind her towards the wall, the golden gates shoot out a chain that wraps around Virginia’s various limbs holding her still.

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No, not again no way in hell was she going to let another family member be killed. Shirou had already made it to Berserker’s Master so he should be fine briefly. Running in spirit form already enhances her super human speed but it still felt like she was taking forever to close the distance even if it was only a matter of seconds. Time seems to move at a crawl. He was right before her using those chains to restrain her sole living family, the daughter of her son. Leaping into the air she materializes right above the golden haired man, coming down hard, her foot aiming straight for him. No. She would stop this person even if she has to become the monster to do so, digging deep inside of her she feels the hatred, the vile disgust towards humanity and the gods building inside of her, the power feeding her muscles as her foot slams into the ground shattering it like glass. The man smiling at her as his golden hair, obnoxious golden armor, and red eyes looking at her with amusement.

Reaching up, her hands grab her hair as strands morph into her nails who’s long chains cascade behind her like slithering snakes. “Quite amusing, who would have expected the goddess villianized by humanity would come to save two of them, Or is it you care about this demi-goddess?”

From the sound she can easily tell Virginia was struggling against the chains as if it was sapping her power, the best Rider could figure was that they neutralize divinity. If that was the case she simply had to remove that advantage, yet in her current form her divinity may be rock bottom but she wasn’t Gorgon yet. While it seems to be a long time only seconds had passed and this fool wouldn’t wait for her for much longer. Even if he did she could smell the molten skin of Virginia. “The two of you are in the way” she reaches up to remove her blind fold, hearing both Archer’s and Caster’s masters start to flee.

As her Gorgon Breaker blindfold falls to the ground her eyes open, unsealing as the plants and animals in the nearby area begin turning to stone. Virginia was thankfully immune to petrification for the same reason Rider was, their eyes but for some reason nothing was affecting the man.

Wait as her eyes focus on him he’s... laughing?! “Really mongrel you thought you could petrify me? How amusing, I might let you live a few seconds longer for that”

This was getting aggravating a portal starts forming behind him he reaches up pulling the hilt free, the weapon is a long pole with a curved blade that looks so familiar it sends chills down her spine. The anti immortality weapon Harpe, or at least what looks like an early version of it.

“Virginia listen to me, Ignore my sisters teasing and think about all the people you want to protect. Focus on that.” Lunging forward, she barely misses the golden servants swing with the sword, her body still not working the way she would like due to her natural fear of the weapon that killed her. Their weapons collide again and again, but the way he fought, that casual stance and his expression. It was as if he was toying with her. The question bothering her was who was this servant that had access to a prototype of that weapon, would her Gorgon Breaker even work on him?

Preparing to lunge she feels something cold and hard wrap around her ankles, while difficult to move she wasn’t immobile thankfully. But it was those damn chains, the same ones holding Virginia still. It seems her theory about it affecting divinity was true, she could move because she had by this point lost most of it in her descent into Gorgon. But that was not a help right now, she needs more mana, she needs to be able to move, she needs her stronger forms or she was going to die again, unable to protect her family once again. Time seems to slow again as the golden man charges at her, the weapon in his hand aiming for her neck, with those chains moving fast enough will be impossible.

As he closes in the world begins to change around them, the night sky turning blood red, the European castle ruins replaced with Greek Pillars, and a semi collapsed temple. She could feel her power growing, the mana in the air around them the smell of the sea around them filling her with nostalgia. Virginia had done it.

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** “Luvia! is Rin with you!?” **for such a small master, Illya had quite the set of lungs on her. It was rather impressive when it came to shouting. The thought of leaving Suryale to deal with that golden servant wasn’t something that sat well with her, but Rider was here and the only way for Rider to go all our was for them to get out of her way.

Pressing a finger to her ear she gasps for air as they keep running “Yes she’s here, a new servant appeared, he’s in golden armor, and had chains that stopped Suryale in her tracks. Rider forced us to leave while she deals with him.”

** “Hurry back to the castle, Archer and Berserker are still engaging that weird Saber” **she doesn’t even get a chance to reply, her mind racing as a broken sword lands in front of them, Rin simply grabbing her arm to yank her along. This place was honestly too massive for its own good, but the better question was where the hell was Bazett? The ground was vibrating again, quickly grabbing her cousin she throws her to the ground and throws her body over her as another mana burst explodes around them. Stone blocks and debris slamming into the ground around them as well as into her back, tearing her dress as they bounce off of her.

** “Teacher I’m in position” **

** “Gray use it” **

** “Luvia! Get back here!” **

The world was ringing as the combined voices of Gray, Lord El-Melloi II, and Illyasviell echo over the radio, no matter how much she wanted to move the stone block that hit her back had winded her, Rin seems to be fine under her. Using all her strength she pushes her arms trying to free the pair of them from the debris on top of them, the wall they were passing having exploded from the fight with that weird Saber servant.

“Tohsaka, are you alright?” she gasps sliding to the ground, her left leg unable to move. Looking down Luvia only now notices her leg was crushed by one of the stones. She was most likely in shock it was the only reason she could think of for not feeling the pain of having her knee bending in two different directions.

“Luvia? Oh god your leg!” The twin tailed girl scrambles from under her trying to pull the rocks pinning her leg free.

“Caster can you come get me?”

Even as she says the words Caster materializes before the two grabbing Luvia in her arms, only now does the blonde woman feel the sheer pain setting in as her leg flops to the side with a sickening pop. They needed to get out of there as soon as possible, the trio a group of sitting ducks as they were, exposed and in the open. Gritting her teeth she motions Rin to grab Caster’s hip and hold on as the three vanish into thin air.

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Pulling back another arrow, Archer scanned the field his master and Luvia had recently reappeared upon with Caster, running toward the castle. Virginia wasn’t anywhere to be found nor was Rider, his idiot younger self was with Illya and that strange purple haired woman was hauling it towards the castle after killing two more of those Assassins with her bare hands. Frankly that purple haired woman scares him, she is able to fight on par with a servant and win, but the more troubling worry was this fight with Saber. Unlike the rest he knew this was Artoria he knew her better than anyone even if she had become warped. The problem was both he and Berserker were throwing everything they had at her and she was shrugging it off. Berserker had already lost four of his lives to her mana bursts.

Releasing his arrow it slams into the ground next to her as once again she deflects it with her sword, that mud she was standing on was making this fight more difficult, every time Berserker got free of those tendrils more would wrap around him and he’d lose another life. He doesn’t have a choice, if they are going to survive this they need to stop Artoria.

“Master may I go all out and engage up close?”

_ “Do you have a plan Archer?” _

“Of course master”

_ “Go ahead I won’t give you any commands” _

Good. Exactly what he was hoping for. Leaping off the tall stone turret he was on, he summons his twin swords and hurls them at Saber, following up with two more as they fly around her before exploding. Over charging his weapons was something most servants would never dare do, but after all he was the wrought iron hero in the future for a reason.

Landing on the nearby wall he starts running as he chants.

“I am the flesh and bone of my own sword”

Running another blast just misses him, whoever was controlling her had an absurd amount of mana, possibly infinite this shouldn’t have been possible. Any normal mage would have died by this point but she keeps firing with the same intensity.

“Steel flows through my body, and fire is what courses through my blood.”

Jumping to the next wall he flings two more swords at the tendrils lunging for Berserker.

“I have created over a thousand blades”

Forming two more he throws them as they explode in her face, he just needs to buy enough time to finish his chant.

“Unknown to death, nor known to life. Many times I have withstood enormous pain to create thousands of weapons.

And yet, those hands that have braved so much will never hold anything.”

Almost but now her attention was on him, she knew he was up to something and all he could do was keep running. That mud and its tendrils were lunging for him as well, he knew what that mud was, why it echoed deep with in him. It was the very essence that stole his previous life from him in that great fire.

“So as I pray now, I call forth 'Unlimited...” blood erupts from his mouth as his chest explodes in pain, looking down a familiar crimson cursed spear sticking through his chest. There was no way, just no way Lancer was still alive?!

He turned his head sure enough to see a blackened lancer right behind him, holding the other end of the spear. As the weapon is yanked out of him Archer feels his legs go weak as he falls from the wall towards the forest his eyes going dark. “I’m sorry...master” was the last thing he manages to say as he feels his eyes go heavy. The only thought going through his mind was. _ “Shit” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I apologize how long this is taking. I have an issue with my eyes that makes editing on my own extremely difficult similar to dyslexia. As you saw last chapter with my editing vs this one where I managed to get my friend who did most of my editing. but good news this story is almost over.
> 
> Some recap from the beginning. The mystic code Caster made for Virgina/Suryale had cloaking capabilities though she rarely uses it, instead opting to use it as armor.
> 
> Lancer was eaten by the shadow with his heart intact
> 
> If you are wondering why Waver has Radio's remember he survived Kiritsugu and is the modern magecraft teacher.
> 
> As to the gorgon sister personalities even in grand order they were never serious so felt like it kept with their theme.
> 
> I will keep trying to make sure I can get help with editing for the final chapters though it might take longer I apologize. hope you enjoy


	20. The Forgotten King

Her chest hurt, it felt as if she was constantly being beaten in the ribs with a hammer. Every nerve in her body was on fire, her mind screamed with the agony as reality around them bent and shifted to her own will. With labored breaths and fear of doing so she hazarded to open her eyes, all around them was either Greek ruins or ocean as far as her mystic eyes could see. Yet no matter how much she tries to move her limbs are still bound by these golden chains that refuse to budge, gritting her teeth she tries to visualize her hair turning into a long snake in the hopes of unbinding her limbs. Yet once again her body burns at the effort to do anything. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the problem. She was out of mana, even in this area where the air was so thick with it she could taste it, it would take at least a few minutes for her eating to replenish even the bare minimum. 

“So the little goddess has a trick up her sleeve? You really think taking me to this Island gives you some kind of  ** advantage! ** ” Given the situation smirking shouldn’t have been the first thing she did but damn if it didn’t feel good to hear the irritation in his voice. Yet the joy doesn’t last long as more chains wrap around Rider pulling her to the ground a golden ripple forming behind him as a long pole with a curved blade manifested, resting in his hand.  _ Harpe? No it looks older probably a prototype. _

“No King of heroes. Bringing you here makes you fight  ** us . ** ”  _ Wait that voice? _ It was the one from her memories. Father?! Wait he did say he was observing and Caster said he was on the Shapeless isle reliant on a host. While it was clearly his voice, the form he was in was of a young woman with light brown hair and an eye patch, in slacks and a dark blue blazer holding a golden sword. It was a strange cross between a Greek Xiphos and an Iberian Falcata, but how she even knew this confuses her. It seems like second nature to know the type of weapon. 

“The Hero Slayer who can’t even properly manifest  **dares challenge me** **?**” The golden servant turns around facing her father. While she knows she should feel happy, fear gnaws at the deepest pits of her chest. There is no way to beat this person, the very foundation of her humanity shakes in terror at this golden servant. Yet her father and his host show no fear instead exuding unbreakable determination of what one would expect of the last person known as Hero Slayer.

“You should know by now King of Hero’s my power comes not from my divinity but from my rejection of myth and legend. I am not just the hero slayer I am the Forgotten King!” Her father takes an offensive stance his blade glowing with the same hateful aura her magic did when she gave into the voice she hears occasionally. The blades fury was as awe inspiring as Artoria’s. While hers glowed with the hope and dreams of all those past, present, and future, this sword’s glow reverberated through her leaving only one feeling behind: Rejection, Hate, and Vengeance.

Golden gates appear behind the golden hero, more chains starting to form when something that catches her off guard happens.  ** “I do not observe thy brilliance!” ** Her father had removed the eye patch his hosts fingers forming a V over the eye two fingers on each side as the cold blue glow causes not just the gates to disappear but the chains holding her and Rider to vanish. Before anyone can react her father lunges with inhuman speed slashing at the golden hero’s right arm  ** “Severe thy legend unto me.” ** The blade connects easily, cutting through his armor as if it was butter, instead the golden servants hand is covered in a purplish flame that seems to be causing him pain.

“What have you done to me you MONGREL?!” 

The chains holding her and Rider come loose at the same moment her fathers strike hits true, while her arm and body was still slowly regenerating she knew she couldn’t fight him. But she wasn’t about to sit around as dead weight.  “I know you’re there. Help me beat this man” the maniacal laughter echoing in her mind chills her to the core. Why was it when she was losing her cool that voice would speak to her, tell her to give into the hate yet when she actively wants to talk with her the voice is silent.  “Fine I’ll do it myself” reaching up her hand quickly grabs her glasses pulling them away. The scales in her back burning as she does so, reverberating with the laughter as it grows louder and louder a single phrase echoing in her mind her lips moving in perfect sync with them.  ** “Melt Away!”  **

That evil hateful magic, that mana that felt so pleasurable to use while scaring her simultaneously in less than a second coalescing near her eyes. They ache with all the mana forming inside of them. Wanting to escape. Wanting to incinerate that annoying blond man who would not leave her alone. The man who wants to take Rin why wouldn’t he  ** Just Die! **

In that brief second as time slows around them all the heat in her eyes unbearable it escapes in a concentrated blast straight for the man, a beam of mana that hungers for flesh and to melt all it touches. A beam that hungers like her deep down inside for his mana and blood, for his life and soul, to die brutally painfully, as nothing more than left over food. It flew faster than her eyes can track slamming into his golden armor slamming him backwards as furious surprise takes over his face. The look in his eye in that brief second upon impact was of a man who had just been spat on by the lowest of low peasants, it brought her immense pleasure seeing that look. Yes he needs to keep that expression, reaching into her pocket with her working arm she pulled free a pair of gems, two red stones. 

“Lord of Water” pressing them both into the air a powerful jet of water erupts from her magical circle like a fire hose, the servant calling himself King of Heroes was being pushed back, something that was starting to anger him greatly. This of course was making her greatly enjoy herself the laughing in her head, combined with the vibrating in her back was the last push she needs. “King of Heroes. Get off of my island!” The sky tears open above them sucking the air and ether out as if they had suddenly depressurized the world.  


Her father lunges forward kicking the servant before he can recover up towards the gate which closes after he exits. While it was barely a minute since she broke free, it felt as if hours had passed her by something probably not helped by the fact she was having trouble staying conscious. Muscles, nerves, Magical circuits everything was burning her legs buckling under her weight before someone caught her. Eyes heavy with exhaustion she looks up, seeing her fathers host holding her in her lithe arms.  


“Suryale!” his voice shifting in pitch, from young to slightly older but inherently higher pitch. Why did he have such a painful expression on his face? Did she really look that bad?

“Father?” the tears why were they so heavy on his face? His hosts makeup was going to run didn’t he know that? But telling him that can wait, right now her eyes are oh so heavy, yeah a nap sounds really great right about now.

“Suryale!”  
  
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Rider places a hand on her sons hosts shoulder “She isn’t dead, look at her body. It is eating the Ether in the air. However we can’t stay here for long if her friends die it will break her heart. Can you return me to Fuyuki?”

It was strange that he nor his host was being petrified from her standing here without her gorgon breaker on but that could wait. “I’m sorry mother but due to Poseidon's curse only my current eldest child can open or close a gate to this island.”  


Well that was annoying, first the bastard who impregnated her allows his jealous girlfriend to kill her, then he traps them on the island they just wanted to be left alone on. “How did you leave or enter before?” 

“The divine Gaes was a bit of trickery, to keep me from being shunted to the Reverse Side, while keeping Suryale from gaining her Authority. Now that the Edelfelt’s have completed their end of the bargain I can’t act as the temporary holder of the Authority.” Standing up he hands her back her Gorgon Breaker. “Do not worry about putting it on, I gave my Queen one of my Mystic Eyes, she’s immune to being petrified as well as the Blood Forts, had I not Suryale wouldn’t have been born.”

That was surprising to hear honestly. Being a low tier divine goddess neither her sisters nor her had the power nor need to take hosts. Well her sisters for being low level, Rider herself because...she was a monster. “Chrysaor. As much as we both wish to connect over a story like this, you know how heart broken Virginia will be if we can’t get back. Her friends are fighting the person who did this to her. I know just from the fact you need a host you are stronger than my sisters.”

“There is a way Mother but you will hate it...” The pause was unbearable, it was only matched by the sorrow on his face. “We need to go to your tomb” 

“Give her to me, I’ll carry her just take us there my son” Not waiting for his response she takes the injured teen into her arms, into a gentle but secure bridal carry. This island’s size never seems to be stagnant, rather it has no discernible shape, it was rather fitting it was called The Shapeless Isle. Several minutes of walking in silence as she looks down at the small unconscious teen, a girl who was at the very least breathing now. Yet her burns were horrific to look at, parts of her arm had muscle and tissues burned away, part of her bone was exposed. Her body was very slowly stitching itself back together but it was obvious it could take days to fully regenerate from this. 

“Chrysaor what was that noble phantasm you used to release us?” This was bothering her it really felt as if both of them were going to die, but then the servant who had them on the end of their ropes lost his powers. 

“Using my tusks, your scales, and talons I forged a weapon called  ** Aigle-Herophone ** which rejects legend. While usually its just good for overcharging and detonating mana out of; against heroes or people who could become heroes it can sever their connection to their legend. Think of it as if Dracula fought outside of Romania his powers would weaken, but for a person who will become a hero in the future it can temporarily synchronize them with their future self, transferring knowledge they didn’t know they had. But both effects end when the user stops supplying mana.” He stops, turning to face her. His hosts long hair flowed in the gentle ocean breeze. “But that wasn’t what freed you, by activating his gates my queen was able to interfere with the order their mysteries deployed in.”

“What about those flames he was covered in?” They were finally reaching a massive stone and marble building, it easily dwarfs what she remembers of Zeus’ temple. If this was the tomb he built her she was honestly flattered that her son loved her this much.  


“Hades and Persephone helped me forge the weapon, it was a gifted effect. Despite being rulers of the underworld they disliked Zeus and his pantheon. When Echidna and Geyron were murdered they finally had enough and blessed the weapon with the flames of the underworld, the few of Echidna’s children left live with them. Brother visits there often when not on the island. The flames are mixed with the hatred you had while in your final days making a curse that is more effective on divine beings. It eats mana, similar to how Suryale eats it around her but like the legend it only works as long as its fed mana by the wielder. This weapon is the very definition of evil, it is my final gift to my daughter.” Walking forward he smiles taking his daughter from her arms and placing her gently on a slab of stone like one would expect for rituals. “Inside here is your corpse, your blood has been bottled, and became an elixir of life when you turned Phantasmal. In a way you became the snake who stole Gilgamesh’s herb of immortality, the blood should heal her in a matter of minutes. There should be enough for fourteen more uses.” Pulling her into a hug he smiles as he holds her close “Mother I’m so glad I finally got to see you before I left this world. I love you and your sisters, please take care of my daughter and if you survive to the end drink the blood incarnate and have a new chance at life.”

Rider’s eyes began welling up with tears how could she not love this child. How long had he been here alone, how long had he suffered, watching his children die one after the other. How long must he have wished for this very moment to happen? Wrapping her arms around his host she pulls the pair closer holding him as his spirit begins fading. “I love you Chrysaor, and I won’t give up this chance you gave me at a new family.”

Releasing his mother he barely had anytime left walking over he kneels before his child kissing her on the head “Suryale I’m sorry for being a terrible father. But please live and be happy. I love you my daughter” placing the hilt of his sword in her hand it was his last act his soul finally joining his brethren on the reverse side of the world. His host slowly looks around before hugging herself tightly tears falling from her eyes, while he wasn’t dead she would never see him again. 

Rider could only imagine how it felt as if her husband had died kneeling before her she wraps her long arms around the smaller woman pulling her close. The woman turning in Rider’s arms looking into her eyes, the woman had a very pretty sky blue eye but now she could see clearly it had the same Square pupil as she and Suryale did. Running her hands through the womans hair she smiles at her. “I’m glad in his last moments on this planet he had someone who loved him this dearly, thank you child” 

Standing she walks towards the tomb pushing the doors open seeing how her body had been carefully dissected but not in an experimental way more akin to a mummification most likely to protect them from looters who managed to make it to the isle. Grabbing one of the vials of blood she returns to the woman kneeling next to Virginia holding her hand. Her chest hurt at this image the way the woman looks at her it was almost as if she was staring at a.. Now lets be serious odds were she was Virginia’s birth mother. It was the only thing that made sense but there was time for that later. Holding the mouth of the vial to Virginia’s lips she tips it back down her throat gently massaging it to help the sleeping girl swallow. It was working faster than expected Rider could already feel Authority emanating from the sleeping girl, much stronger than before as if the island was finally accepting her. The smaller girls body was regenerating damage a lot faster as well. “While we wait I’d like to talk to you”

“I suppose it is only fair. It is a pleasure to meet the goddess Medusa, mother of my husband, grand mother of my child.” There it was, now if only there was a name to go with her face.

“I suppose I should introduce myself my name is...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of trivia, going back to the Berber (ancient Lybia) religion that Medusa and her sisters stem from, as well as the Greek myth Hades did not voluntarily give his helm to Athena she stole it to give to Perseus so he could escape Stheno's fury.
> 
> I have the next two already written they will be up in the next couple of days.


	21. Return

** Einzbern Manor **

Caster reappears in the bedroom her master had been graciously offered the previous night as the two maids Sella and Lesrit rush to their side. Rin rushing towards the window to look out, from the expression on her face she was desperate to find Virginia and Rider both who seemingly have vanished from the battlefield, Bazett hasn’t been seen in a while either not since she was fighting the Assassins. Biting her lip she conjures her staff. Pain Breaker used a lot a mana and she wasn’t sure if using it to fix her Master’s leg would cause more harm than good in this case.

The blood curdling scream that fills the room though snaps her out of her thoughts as Sela sets her Master’s knee. Even with a splint with how mangled it was odds were the joints inside were broken beyond repair, Caster would either be babysitting an invalid master or have to get a new one if she didn’t. “Lady Tohsaka please go assist Gray and Lord El-Melloi II, I can repair her leg but she will most likely not wake up anytime soon.” Pulling her hood up she bites her finger quickly drawing the circle around Luvia. “Sela, Lesrit please hold my Master absolutely still and put something in her mouth to bite down on.” While when she was alive this spell was easy to cast as a servant she didn’t exactly have the sister Dagger to Rule Breaker so she would need to do it the way she was originally taught by her aunt Circe. The bite guard was also to stop her from using a command spell, thankfully the pain she was in made her Master not put up any kind of fight as a thick cloth was placed in her mouth.

Reaching deep into her robes she pulls free a few mana crystals she had made back at the temple, back when Souichirou-sama was still... no Caster none of that she needs to focus. That happy smile Virginia had, the rare smirk Souichirou had when the shenanigans they got into at Akihabara market flutters into her memory... bad Caster focus her lips moving as quick as she can, speaking divine words forgotten to modern day as the circle below her glows. The lost healing art was almost complete. Placing her hand on the destroyed knee she looks back at her Master’s face, despite being a woman of nobility not unlike Caster herself she knew in situations like this it was alright to cry, and just Caster’s gentlest touch sent her into screaming tears as she fought against the two maids pinning her down. “May it become a world where no one can hurt others and no one can be hurt...” as the light grows in intensity she presses her fingers down into the wound ignoring the muffled and pained screams filling the room. “Pain Breaker!” the room erupts in light as the injuries to her Master begin to simply vanish healing as if they never happened. Yet what she was worrying about finally happens the amount of mana necessary to use Pain Breaker drains her already exhausted Master. While it does make it as if injuries never happened the fatigue doesn’t just go away, especially when the pain had already rendered her barely conscious to begin with.

“Caster!” Jerking her head towards the door stands Bazett panting heavily, bleeding from her one arm. “Please reinforce my arms and legs.”

_ Forgive me master I need a bit more mana. _Holding up her hand she smiles as Bazett’s limbs take on a turquoise glow from her magical circuits activating filling with the ancient magic of Hecate.

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_ “This enemy must be more powerful than oneself... Approved” _

_ “This battle must be one against evil... Approved” _

_ “This battle must not involve personal gain... Approved” _

_ “This battle must not be against Humanity... Approved” _

_ “This battle must not be inhumane... Approved” _

_ “This battle must be for truth... Approved” _

_ “This battle must be to live... Approved” _

_ “This battle must be to defend humanity... Approved” _

_ “This one's comrades-in-arms must be courageous... Approved” _

_ ‘Nine of the thirteen seals released, hopefully this will be enough. Teacher, Miss Luvia, Miss Tohsaka, Lady Edelfelt please let me protect you.’ _ Raising the pillar of light up above her head, Add fully retracting as the pillar at the end of the world forms in her left hand. “Exterminate sweet mysteries, All will return to the Void. Sacred Lance Removing restraints! ** Rhongomyniad! **” Light fills the world around her, the wind whipping into a screaming gale around her as the sheer power of the divine lance erupts firing towards the shadow as it finally subdues Berserker pulling him under the mud everything around the shadow, the darkened saber, the mud, the various ruins vanish beneath the light of her holy weapon. Against the pitch black darkness the light is so blinding Gray has to give her eyes a second to adjust before they see the smoldering crater. Letting out a sigh, Add reforms around the lance returning to her hand. She turned to smile at her teacher before suddenly finding herself shoved to the ground. Looking back, Bazett is standing there panting as a smoldering metal orb falls to the ground before her. Glancing over the tower her eyes widen. The Crater is filled with mud again the Shadow reappearing. What just happened?! What was that orb?!

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** A few seconds prior... **

The gut feeling Bazett knew better than to ignore was gnawing at her insides, ever since inheriting their family’s crest, well, the pathogen they call a crest she got this feeling when something was wrong. Her father had a theory it had to do with their families connection to Fragarach and how it warped time by reversing it. Frankly that wasn’t important now. Casters enhancements were spectacular, she was moving much faster than even her normal enhancements allowed. No sooner was she lowering her arm to keep from being blinded by Gray’s attack than she saw the crater filling back with that weird cursed mud, Energy forming before it as the shadow like creature starts inflating like a balloon. Tossing her tube on the ground she shoves the poor girl aside as an orb shoots out, floating above her fist as current arcs off of it **“** ** Answerer ** **...”** A dark beam of energy exploded out of the shadow straight towards them **“** ** Fragarach! ** **”** the time reversal kicks in fast enough to stop the attack but all her attack seems to have done is stun the shadow.

Her gut was twisting into another knot, this was bad they need to get out of here NOW. Pressing a finger to her headset “We need to leave here now, I only have two charges left and my last one as well as Grays seem to have just angered it.”

** “Ca..ster...Teleport everyone out of here. Gray, Lord El-Melloi II, Illya and her Maids first. Bazett, Rin, Emiya and I will cover you.” **

** “Caster take Luvia first, that fools injury will make her a burden. Use my manor.” **That Tohsaka master must have swiped Virginia’s headset still she was right even if healed Luvia’s body would be shot from that injuries blow back to her nerves.

** “ Lady Edelfelt you leave first. Trust your comrades” **the deeper voice of Lord El-Melloi II was enough to stop the woman from protesting.

“Well that makes things interesting.” She glanced up as a man walks towards them with a red spear: it radiates with wicked energy, large barbs, and thorns jutting out of it near the top. She knew who this was and Casters timely arrival to warp Gray out was very appreciated as this was her stolen servant. Unlike his good nature before this time he was giving off a frighteningly homicidal blood lust that shakes her to the very core.

The sound of several booms cause her to glance out of the corner of her eye as that Shadow was starting to inflate again. Shit shit shit shit shit! Fist tightening that single second felt like eternity her mind slowing her perception of time trying to figure out a way to escape, the only way out was behind her and that led to the Tohsaka master and that boy. It would take at least another minute for Caster to arrive and even then she could only teleport one person at a time, Odds were her master was also incredibly low on mana at this point meaning even that was unlikely. In the corner of her eye the darkened Saber was up and moving again meaning even if she used another charge odds were it would be pointless and wasting her ammunition.

** “ Get down you idiot! ** **”** A red blur overtook her vision as a large flower like shield erupted around them seven layers deep. Before her brain even catches on whats happening she’s thrown back into the pair of teens behind her as both the Lancers spear and the concentrated mana burst fly towards it. Her eyes widening as the shield quickly begins buckling under the sheer force of the combined attacks, slowly dissolving while the wind reaches typhoon levels around them. She cant make out who was making the lotus like shield the wind is way too intense, all that is visible is red and black, possibly white hair. Trying to get to her feet, the two under her are crawling backwards in utter fear as the boy jumps in front of the Tohsaka master trying to shield her with his body. Bazett on instinct does the same wrapping herself around the two. As the lotus like shield explodes the shock wave rips the entire wall they’re on to pieces as the three of them are flung into the air.

Something heavy and cold wraps around her waist, stopping her fall. Looking up she sees Suryale?! A large snake tail coiled around her stomach, Rin in one of her hands, the boy in the other her fingers replaced with vice like talons. She must have forced her body to return to her monstrous form to catch them. While Bazett was secure in the tail, Rin was sitting on her hand an arm wrapped around the girls neck as her massive golden wings flap frantically to slow their rapid five story decent towards the forest. The boy though while in a similar position her hold on him wasn’t as secure, the expression on her face was one of strain as she struggled to keep them from all crashing into the forest below, her breathing was heavy, it wasn’t her arms that were the problem it was her wings. They were only designed for gliding and lifting her own body weight but this was easily an excess of an extra several hundred pounds.

“I...ne..eed...to land.. My wings..”

The air begins filling with a familiar sense of foreboding dread, Bazetts sharp eyes glance down and widen. That Saber was preparing to fire another burst right at them. “Suryale ** dive ** **!**” no sooner do the words leave her mouth than the blast flies straight towards them clenching her fist her second charge appears over her hand as the glowing silver orb zooms forth and activates as the blast hits them. Thanks to the time dispersal effect they have a bit of time if the earlier use was any indication it should buy them about a minute.

A sudden scream of agony issued from Suryale as something zooms past Bazett’s finely cropped hair and right through the demi-gods wings, a familiar red spear jutting forth from one of the desperately flapping appendages. They were coming down hard “Release me!” she needs to reduce the weight on the already straining and now injured wings prying the tail loose the current heir of the Fraga clan falls towards the forest below.

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Clinging to Virginia’s arm, Rin’s stomach felt as if it was trying to lodge itself in her throat they fell hard like Icarus after flying too close to the sun. Bazett just freed herself and was plummeting towards the trees, the look on Virginia’s face though was one Rin knew, it was the same one she made during gym when she pushed herself to her limits. But the painful expression was worse this time, the two holes in the wings weren’t helping, wait why was Virginia reeling back her right arm wait she wasn’t going to?!

“Emiya I’m sorry.” She drops him towards thick branches grabbing Rin between both arms before spinning through the air so Rin would land ontop of her. _ She just dropped him?! _ How? How could she just decide to shake him loose and let him fall!? No, no, no, no, no. Looking down Virginia was unconscious but regenerating damage, yet once again shrinking back to her prewar size. As Rin watched, the vibrant red spear twitched and jerked itself out of the woman’s wing, blood spattering the ground as it flew into the sky and back toward the castle. “Virginia I’ll be right back, I’m sorry but I need to go check on Emiya” Kneeling down she smiles tightly, dread forming a knot in her stomach at the thought of leaving her, but she needs to check on him; It didn’t matter if he was taller and stronger than her, a fall was a fall. He had to be alright.

Her bruised legs burn unbearably with pain as she finds where he landed, there is so much blood, why is there so much blood? Pushing through the tall weeds and shrubbery he lay before her a large shard of a stained glass wedged between the debris. The shard is where his left arm should be there’s so much blood _D_ _ ammit! _

“Rin...there is a way to save that fool” wait that voice?

Spinning on heel sure enough right before her stood her badly wounded servant a large hole through his chest, a sword in his right hand. “Caster should be able to attach this”

“Have you gone mad?” Rider walks out of the shadows with a woman on her back. From the look of the womans hair Rider had been running full speed. Setting the woman down she looks at Rin with concern.

“If I don’t do this two lives are lost here tonight. Doing this...at least it is only one of us” without giving anyone a chance to reply Archer slices his left arm off before handing it to her. Her seals burn as he vanishes into nothing before her very eyes, heavy tears start falling from her eyes as she watches her servant die with that idiotic smile on his face.

“Rider keep an eye on the two of them, I need to find Suryale. Girl I suggest you hurry” The woman with the eye patch takes off back in the direction of where Rin had just come from. The fear in the back of her mind wanting to follow was only just being pushed out by her need to stay there and help Emiya.

Who that woman was and why she seemed in different could wait, she was right about his condition. Rin pressed her finger to her ear, thankful Luvia had given her a spare headset ** “Caster we need you now! Emiya and Virginia are both injured.” ** Okay not completely a lie due to the hole in her wings but enough that Caster would get here very quickly. Sure enough she teleports next to them before Rin shoves Archer’s arm into her hands. “Attach this to him before we do anything else” the determination in her eyes as she stares down the servant makes even the great witch balk slightly.

Caster quickly begins drawing a circle “I can only use Pain Breaker one more time tonight. Master’s mana is frighteningly low right now. Bring the boy here”

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** Tohsaka Manor **

Leaning against the front door the man once known as Waver stares up at the night sky, enjoying the strong taste of his cigar. Life was ironic, ten years ago he was fighting the master of this manor, now he was using it as shelter. Under normal circumstances this would be more concerning, however, currently that Shadow was the only thing on his mind. It had corrupted two Servants and captured a third, there was also the fact it took a hit from Rhongomyniad and all that seems to have done is slow it down. It just kept appearing with that mud, that awfully familiar mud. Why was that mud so familiar? El-Melloi felt a chill creep up his spine, realization washing through him like a cold splash of water. The last war. It was the stuff that caused the great fire wasn’t it? Waver didn’t see the event personally but he knew that something came out of the grail when it was destroyed.

“Well...If it isn’t the former Master of Rider” shit that voice.

Doing his best to keep his disgruntled face from showing anything more than disgust, he taps his cigar against the ash tray he was holding. It was as he feared, the Master of Assassin from the last war. And judging from the knives in his hand he isn’t here for a talk. “Kirei Kotomine” Pressing his cigar out, he places both it and the tray gently on the stoop to the front door without ever taking his eyes off of the priest.

No sooner does Waver begin to correct his position than he’s ducking to the side as one of the knives fly right towards him, skewering the wall as another flies, landing right in front of him as he keeps scrambling to put distance between the two of them. Knocking in quick succession in a pattern he taught Gray towards each window he passes he almost rounds the side of the house when a knife slams into his leg, another his shoulder, and his thigh. Somehow each misses a vital organ or artery yet moving is out of the question, without his crest he had very little magic just some basic blasts, nothing that could contest with a church assassin.

“You are very lucky former Riders Master, but Luck ** always ** runs out” his voice was even creepier now that it was deeper. The man raised his knives _How the hell did this man never seem to run out of knives?_ before quickly deflecting an arrow that came from the front door. It was Gray, she got the message and had Add in his bow form aiming right at them.

“Teacher!” she starts unloading a volley of arrows at the man, Waver can only watch as the knives made moving his legs impossible, pinning him to the ground as if he were an insect in an entomologists work room.

“That is an interesting weapon my child. Could it be that was the pillar of light earlier?” This was bad, if he figured out the truth he might kill her. Dammit dammit dammi...wait how did he get through the Tohsaka barrier? Shit right he was the Tohsaka masters apprentice he would know the barrier inside and out.

Raising his hand the man also known as Lord El-Melloi II fires a burst of mana at the man, the desperation in Gray’s eyes pushing him to keep trying.

Kotomine tossed another knife behind him, it impaled Wavers free hand to the ground, before lunging at Gray as she parries his knives. He spins on his heel, slamming his other foot into her leg with a sickening crunch as the door opens two Assassins exiting the inside one with Luvia slung over her shoulder. “Tell your master he’s almost not useless, bring this girl as well. She might prove interesting.” Before either Gray or her teacher can even react her weapon is kicked out of her hands and turns back into a caged cube landing at Wavers feet. “Tell the goddess and my darling apprentice to come alone, I’m sure you can find me, boy.” He simply grins at Waver the confidence in his eyes only adding to the inferiority of his abilities but that wouldn’t stop him. Sure as a kid this might have sent him into despair. But right now his two students were being kidnapped and there was nothing he could do as he watches them be gagged, bound and dragged off. Once Caster returns with the rest they were going to show this man why he just crossed a line he was going to** regret . **

_ You picked the wrong hostages Kotomine. _All he could do at the moment was wait, once the others free him then they act.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Add according to Nasu can turn into a whole litany of weapons including a bow. I genuinely wonder what Morrigan was planning when she made him.
> 
> I genuinely feel bad for Waver Velvet he has to rely on his brain since his magic skills are very subpar, he doesn't even have the velvet crest, and he's not a physical combatant. But he is a lot of fun to write. Next chapter is with the editor will be posted soon. Enjoy ya'll


	22. Revelations from beyond the Shadows

** The outskirts of the Einzbern forest. **

Why was Virginia so damn heavy, it wasn’t like Rin didn’t work out regularly she was a rather fit woman but helping her limp towards Caster was more challenging than she thought. Granted thankfully unlike Emiya Virginia wasn’t injured outside of where here wings got hit. It didn’t help with how utterly cold it was, but well she was lending her coat to the girl she was assisting because her blouse had been torn to shreds in the fighting. So she could live with the cold for now.

The glow of Caster’s magical circle begins to fade as Emiya slowly opens his eyes the new arm attached to him. “Boy do not remove these bandages they act as a seal.” Lowering her hood the servant rushes over towards the pair. “Let me see where she was hit.”

Rin helps lower the girl to the ground so she can sit, upon removing the borrowed coat however Rin’s eyes widen in disbelief. The wings hadn’t retracted, they had definitely shrank but the wounded stubs were still there poking out of her back with the tearing from the spear. “Why isn’t it healing at all?”

“Because that Shadow lancer was my former servant, odds are that shadow Saber was the boys there. Lancers weapon was made by the God slayer Scathach and he himself is a monster slayer.” Rin’s head bolts towards the woods so fast her pigtails hit her face from the force, her eyes on Bazett and that woman who arrived with Virginia.

“Unless we defeat that servant or at least destroy his weapon odds are she will never heal that wound. Best case scenario it heals naturally but we shouldn’t count on that” Caster’s voice wavers as she bites her thumb with disgust on her face. “I know better than any she’s weak to people like Myself, and Berserker or his true name Heracles. Each greek hero went on a quest at one point to slaughter one of her relatives, but to make matters worse if that Lancer wields a weapon forged by Scathach it means your servant was Ireland’s Child of light Cú Chulainn, another monster slayer.” She was biting her thumb so hard at this point that it began bleeding. “The wings aren’t bleeding but we need to be careful.”

“We need to regroup..” She says feeling the exhaustion finally starting to hit her.

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** New Fuyuki Tower **

Her eyes were heavy as she slowly wakes her long carefully styled hair was now a total mess and something tight was clamped around her neck. Luvia moves her tongue around gently realizing there is a thick rubber gag in her mouth, her arms and legs are tied tightly to the chair she’s sitting on. Even her hips and chest are bound. Hesitantly she glances down at the floor, seeing the faint glow of a magic circle and from the little she can tell its a bounded field. Glancing to her left Gray was still asleep, bound just like she was in an equally small bounded field.

Glancing around the room, it seems to be some high class modern suite marble floors, Wooden paneling and a fluorescent light in the middle of the ceiling from a fancy chandelier made of gold. The door to the room opens as a purple haired woman enters. “It seems you have awoken my dear Lady Edelfelt.” Her eyes adjust to the light as she focused on the person and... she looks an awful lot like Suryale and Rider. Honestly she looks like Suryale did when they first met, even down to the hip length lavender hair. Her voice sounds the same as well but her tone and body language were extremely condescending.

She reaches out grabbing her neck whatever was attached to her neck as it begins to hum with magic. “I forbid you to use your command seals or communicate with your servant. Nod if you will obey” she tries to shake her head but her body moves on its own. The gag is removed but no matter how much she wants to scream or communicate with Caster she can’t.

“Who are you, I know for a fact you aren’t my Sister.” Struggling against the command she tries to summon up a mental channel to Caster but her body and mind shut it just as quickly.

“Ah ah ah that collar is a high level machine designed to suppress your special goddess’s will to rebel you really think a stuck up brat like you will be able to resist its curse?” Gritting her teeth she spits in the womans face.

The pain that surges through her neck into her body causes her to scream out in agony as ungodly pain fills her magical circuits with what feels like white hot metal. As quick as it hits it ends not shortly after leaving Luvia panting and gasping for air, her shoulders slumping forward. “Caster...By...my...” she screams out in agony again but that won’t deter her. This fake will not tell her what to do! “Co....” the pain, gods it won’t let up her muscles, nerves and magical circuits light up it was as if somehow she was being stabbed in every single nerve in her body at once while being lit on fire and thrown into molten metal.

“Stop resisting you stupid woman!” her chair falls over into the bounded field as she gasps panting for air as the pain continues to rebound through her. The womans shouting at her allows Luvia a small smile. As Luvia spits up blood from her violently contorting in the chair the pain recedes despite her bravado there was no strength left to resist anymore. Just attempting to use a command seal put her in this level of pain, she needs to save her energy if she wants to try again, at a more opportune time. She gasps as a foot collides with her stomach the purple haired fake glares down at her in contemptible fury. “Try that again and that pain you felt will be sent to your friend over here.”

Her body went cold, This fake was threatening to use Gray as a means to keep her in check, even if her natural magical resistance was of the highest caliber this curse was way too strong. “Fine... you win you fake...”

That causes the woman to burst out laughing in the most annoying haughty laugh... Did she sound like that? Gross maybe she should retire that after this. “My name isn’t fake, but I don’t suppose you would believe I am your adoptive sister?”

“No, she has no living siblings, nor does she ever call me adoptive, Finally she loves Caster like a mother there is no way in hell she would behave like this. Now who are you? And how dare you wear the face of my family.” She can’t help but spit the last line out.

“Well in a way I wasn’t lying I have the same genetics as your brat sister now, in a way ** I AM ** your sister as well Luviagelita Edelfelt. But I was once known by a more superior name than Virginia Edelfelt, and that was Atrum Galista.”

Her blood runs cold, her heart stops, her mind frozen with terror. The bastard really was alive, but not only that he had a copy of Suryale’s body? “L..lies”

“Sure in a straight up magic fight I would lose to someone like you normally, but my family? We employ our vast fortune. Those collars were my first application of magical technology fusion, the second was that kiln Caster destroyed, but I’d say my greatest was making a soulless clone body of that goddess. I have all of her powers yet none of her weaknesses”

_ Yet he’s staring at me without mystic eye killers on. Did he seriously never figure out what her eyes did? Or did he just view them as useless? _ Closing her eyes focusing all her her remaining strength to her arms she quietly whispers while the asshole keeps self aggrandizing his own accomplishments. _ ‘Es ist groß, Es ist klein’ _her circuits light up as she rips her chair apart snapping the ropes. She was going to kill this bastard.

“You want a fight that badly?” The man wearing Suryale’s face smirks as he opens the bounded field letting her out, no sooner does she get out then she’s lunging towards him arm out catching him in a clothesline. As his head smashes into the floor he simply laughs punching her hard in the stomach sending her across the room, leaving a visible crater in the wall as she impacted. “Your brat of an adopted bastard really had no idea how to use her abilities properly, if anything I did her a favor putting that Monsters scales inside of her. Who would have thought the Dragon of Colchis’s scales would improve her that much?!” With a grin of arrogance he grabs her by the throat, using what was left of her adrenaline Luvia wraps her arms and legs around the arm using what is left of her strength to pull him into an arm bar. At first her efforts were successful, his arm bending backwards as she does so, Luvia was proud of how strong she was, and with her reinforcements she didn’t doubt she would be on par with Bazett in a fight. “I order you to let go! Bitch!!!” her body weakens as she feels herself be thrown back into the wall, blood coating her lips as she falls to the ground, her back molar was broken, she clearly bit her lower lip as well.

Going limp she falls to the ground her body refusing to obey anymore. “Seems I’m going to have to make your collar’s curse more potent just like that Bitch who fought so hard to protect that brat from the sealing enforcement designators. It was funny the moment I went to attack her kid she willingly put the collars on and sat there as I took my time killing her.” Luvia looks up at him with anger in her eyes as he throws her back into the bounded field. “Remember stupid woman, know your place and behave or next time your friend gets it.”

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**Tohsaka Manor at the same time**

“Caster how are their injuries?”

“Lady Einzbern and her maids are sturdier than they look. None of the attacks hit vital points. Each person who was attacked, even that teacher over there, are lucky that nothing vital was hit.” The Servant waves back towards the man in the wheelchair as he moves his injured hand along a map grid marking points with a marker. “I think they intentionally let the group live, though that man I think is just lucky his were only a hairs breadth from hitting something important. Out of everyone the attacker seemed to want to actually kill him.”

T_ hat shitty priest, how DARE he do this to her guests, her friends, her...family? It’s very clear what he wants. He wants to use Virginia for something; and normally she and the others could come up with a plan for reinforcements rescue the hostages but this isn’t a normal war. Dammit Rin think, THINK! Shirou needs to go back home and that is going to be very awkward, not to mention her sister is going to be very mad. Something is jamming Caster’s ability to locate Luvia, there is that Shadow, and still Zouken. We need more time dammit. _ The teen keeps scratching her head knocking her pigtails loose as she does.

** “ Rin ** **...”** she keeps pacing now chewing on her thumb as she settled deep in thought. _ My house isn’t safe if that bastard can bypass the Barrier, but where else can they go? The Edelfelt manor was secure but rather far away especially when the one person who can drive has both of his legs injured. But Rider can drive can’t she? But thats Sakura’s servant and she might be pissed off about Shirou losing his arm. But then there is the whole thing with Shirou’s arm that might prove useful if.. _

** “ RIN! ** **”** glancing up Virginia is standing in her path staring deeply into her eyes, those glasses distracting her slightly with how cute they are. “We need to go to Shirou’s place we can’t stay here. Without Luvia we can’t enter the Edelfelt manor and on foot we can only go a short distance with a wheelchair. We are going to save them, we are going to stop this chaos. Trust in your friends okay?” Those words those were what she needs the most at this moment. Reassurance that even after all her mistakes and she’s made big ones that she wasn’t alone. Covering her face she tries to hide the tears falling from her eyes. This was too much. When all was said and done the majority of them were all just a bunch of teenagers, but the lives of their friends were in the balance at this point.

“Lord El-Melloi have Illyasviel ride in your lap, Bazett can you carry her maids in one trip? Virginia I need you to help Emiya get back, I’ll push El-Melloi but Rider and Caster you need to protect us please.” Rider manifests tilting her head slightly.

“Why not just have me drive us there?”

“The car was destroyed, and Irisviel’s car is most likely back at the castle or destroyed am I correct Lady Einzbern?” _ wait it was destroyed? Shit, Shit, shit. _Staring at Lord El-Melloi II she sighs so foot it is then.

“Virginia can you put something of mine on your island temporarily till we get to his manor?” She looks towards her friend.

“As long as its not living yeah.” Perfect. That chest will come in handy.

Bolting up the stairs she quickly tosses as many of her fathers notes, gems, and those blueprints from Zelretch in to her trunk. Having a small pocket dimension inside a trunk was rather useful but lugging it around was never easy. With several loud thunks she gets it down the stairs and quickly tosses Lord El-Melloi II’s map and notes into it, along with Add, and cigars, Luvia’s spare clothes, and Virginia’s gown from when she was abducted from Shirou’s place. As much as she would prefer to see her in the gown Magdalene left her there was a chance they could track her divinity so not wearing it was more practical. The last thing to be tossed in was her Azoth dagger, you never know when it could be useful. “Here please pass this over it has everything we could possibly need. But before we go...” She shoves her grandmother’s dress into Virginia’s arms. “Put this on, your clothes are in tatters and this was my grandmother’s battle dress, in a way this is more meaningful for you than it might seem. My grandmother’s sister was Magdalene your adoptive mother. Now go get changed and don’t forget the pendant. Once we are rested we will make that asshole pay.”

Watching Virginia run off into the spare room, Rin would be lying if she didn’t say she was utterly stunned by the sheer elegance of her outfit as she races back. She stands there in a long purple gown, it exposes the tops of her shoulders forming an elegant V just above the swell of her chest, with lace frills along the collar, the skirt has a high hem along the front right with its own lace frilled trim. The under dress was easier to move in and visible under the high hem cut, bows accenting both hips, Virginia’s knee high boots were visible from the mid calf down. Honestly it looks more like something one would go to a ball in than a fight, but the Edelfelts were a weird family and their women fought in dresses like this. Though the poor girl was fumbling a bit with the cloth corset and she seemed slightly annoyed by the loose sleeves.

“...Wow... you..look stunning. That fits you better than Grandmother...” _ Rin keep it together, get your tongue back in your mouth you’re making this more awkward. Dammit she’s hot... people are staring Rin stop. _

Walking over to the trunk Virginia mutters something under her breath, a small stone gate appearing in the middle of the room. As the doors open Rin watches as her chest is tossed into the gate with it vanishing just as quickly. “Before we continue I have one question... why does everyone always stare at me with such lust in their eyes Rider?”

The groups eyes all turn to the servant as she materializes her hair fluttering gently by her ankles. “It is very annoying... Divine Beauty. It only works on those who could be sexually attracted to you.” The servants voice was one of irritation her heavy exasperated sigh was all the information they need to understand just how bothersome it was.

“That...really is annoying...”

With a confirming nod Rider vanishes again returning to her spirit form but her sigh can be felt by all in the room.

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** An hour later Emiya Residence. **

Opening the door Sakura couldn’t help but cry before her stood Emiya, her love, her boyfriend, her reason to live held up by a strange woman and Virginia. His left arm bound in some kind of red cloth as he simply smiles and tries to reassure it it looks worse than it is. How could they let him get hurt? HOW?! How was it Rider’s family member was unharmed but his entire arm was covered in bandages? But no it doesn’t stop there a strange man in a wheelchair, with a pale girl on his lap, some purple haired brute with two unconscious maids on her shoulders as if they were sacks of potato's, and Rin... RIN. Why couldn’t they just stop letting him get hurt!?

“Sakura they are going to be staying with us for a bit” Why was he smiling at her? Didn’t he know how much seeing him injured hurt her? Glaring at Rider she took him from the two women before limping him to her room. It didn’t matter if they usually shared his room, he was injured and it was her duty to take care of him.

Pushing him down onto the bed she clutches his chest crying, refusing to look him in the eyes. Why didn’t he understand?? He swore he was going to protect just her yet he was this badly injured. Why did he keep getting involved with that girl?! Did he think she didn’t know he glances at her on occasion? There isn’t a person in the school who didn’t try to steal glances from Virginia it was infuriating even Sakura herself did on occasion. She felt so ugly at this jealousy, this pain, this longing wishing he would just abandon this war and run away with her.

Helping him towards his room she lowers him onto the futon before staring at his bandages. “Senpai you promised” her eyes welling up as she finds herself unable to fight back the painful tears. Simply seeing him like this causes her chest to hurt tremendously. “How..how did this happen?!”

That nervous laugh, he always does it when trying to dodge a question or downplay an injury. “We were falling out of the sky and Virginia well she had to make a split second decision of who to let go of... it’s not her fault. Three of us were just too heavy. Don’t blame her okay?” _ Don’t blame her? _ Is that really what he just asked? Since when were those two so close? Was she trying to kill him? Why wasn’t Rider protecting him? Why couldn’t that woman ** just stay away ** from what was hers?

“You can’t keep doing this” his arm wraps around her tenderly as she cries against him, his shirt becoming drenched with her tears as they just won’t stop.

“Sakura I won’t leave you, or let myself get killed so please just rest for now.” His smile, why does it always bring calm to her heavy heart? He was hers and no one would take that from her.

“Alright Senpai” despite trying to give him her housewife smile it came off as somewhat more deranged enough that his reaction startles her into standing. “Uh..I’ll go prepare the bath for you Senpai.” Getting up she carefully walks out of the room closing the sliding door gently behind her, on her way to the bathroom she sees Rider and Virginia in a heated discussion. Whatever if her own servant was going to ignore her orders for that girl so be it.

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Holding the fired up teenager against the wall with one of her arms she glares at her through her gorgon breaker, this girl was going to get herself killed. “Listen to me, you cannot go running off like this!”

The teens grip on her arm was impressive but also more troubling while yes Chyrsaors divinity was significantly higher than her own, his daughter shouldn’t be as strong as she is at least in theory. “Listen to me Rider I’m not leaving them in enemy hands, you have no idea what that bastard did to me!”

“Are you mad?” pressing her hand against the wall next to the girl, worry visible on her face. “Do you have any plan besides run into the city and try to find them?” before either could reply a presence by the door causes the hairs on the back of Rider’s neck to raise. From the sound of it Caster noticed as well both lunging towards the door weapons drawn. Going by how the Servant just appeared outside the barrier before entering odds were it was an assassin.

The boy’s eyes bolt towards the door if his fear pheromones were anything to go off of, his sweat reeks of stress, this Servant was intentionally provoking them. The sound of something sliding through the doors crack grabs her attention. Turning her head towards Caster she feels her motion towards the door gently via subtle touch along her arm. Nodding Rider gently approaches the door grabbing the envelope before darting back towards Caster in the blink of an eye kicking up some of the mats and cushions from the wind pressure.

Caster takes the letter from her hand as Rider moves quickly to stand in front of both Virginia, Sakura and Shirou. From the sound of their footsteps it seems Caster was doing the same for the rest. 'If you wish to see your toys again, return what was stolen from me and bring the Tohsaka brat. If there is one servant anywhere the toys die. In one hour meet me at the area the masters and servants had their first major conflict in the last war.'

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Rin’s eyes widen hearing Caster read the letter to make matters worse both Caster and Rider were gritting their teeth in anger as the Assassin left the barrier. “Return what was stolen from me? And first major conflict? But why does he want me?”

“That pathetic excuse for a mage he wants to take her back!?” Caster’s words were so filled with unbridled fury one could taste it in the air.

“I know the location, his intent is to separate us. He wants you to meet at the docks specifically the pier destroyed ten years ago. Look it will take forty five minutes to get there on foot Rin for now I need you all to trust me explicitly.” The man known as Lord El-Melloi II rolls his chair towards them “We can’t use radios he will most likely account for that. Suryale can you open a gate and leave Caster on your island?”

“Yes but it will take a couple seconds to release her again”

“Good do it now, Caster trust me and be on standby the moment you leave that island you will be in conflict. Shirou Emiya, did your father leave a motorcycle for you?”

As Caster was stepping into the gate Rin watches Emiya nod “Yeah I just need to put some gas in it but its too fast for a human to ride.”

“I know. Go get it ready now, Bazett go give him a hand.” His voice was that of a general but Rin knew where he was referring to and it was very obvious this was a trap. Granted odds were Assassin’s master didn’t know about the island meaning it was a trump card. “Suryale limit usage of your wings and tail, the injury could be used against you so keep the bandages on and keep your Authority hidden for now. Tohsaka once you have the hostages there is no reason to hold back.”

Glancing over at Virginia they nod towards one another as they both pull their boots on and make their way towards the docks.

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** New Fuyuki Tower Same time. **

Luvia glares at her captor if it wasn’t for these damn collars they could have escaped by now, but this curse was embedded into her magical circuits forcing a compulsion to obey, worse, Gray was having an even harder time than her resisting even with her magical resistance.

“Enjoying the jewelry? When I initially suggested using a mixture of a mechanical collar and the curse of compulsion together people laughed at me. The very idea you could use a low yield curse to make a mechanical command spell for anyone with magical circuits was apparently funny to them.” Luvia felt her captors fist slam into her face, his knuckles embedding into her cheek as she stumbles to the floor. “Your own mother laughed at this and called me pathetic. That bitch Magdalene Edelfelt, the coward who ran away after failing a grail war mocked me in her dying breaths. But my inventions restrained her adoptive daughter AND her granddaughter both!” Those blue eyes glare into hers, no matter how much he had copied Suryale there was no way he had all of her powers. That level of arrogance was going to bite him in the end.

Gritting her teeth she walks back towards the wall standing there in this insulting harem outfit, just like Gray who without her clothes or hood kept her face buried. No matter what they wanted to do these damn collars made them obey, but once the time was right she had built up enough energy to use her last command spell and she was going to make this bastard pay.

“Okay children looks like the message was delivered. Shall we go to the car?” Why did he always ask a question when in reality it was a command? As she filed in behind the Suryale impostor she grits her teeth hard holding onto hers and Gray’s clothes in a small bag.

“Ladies we must hurry we can’t keep our guest waiting.” Who the hell were they meeting? Whoever it was Luvia was going to destroy any ally this bastard had.

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** Fuyuki Docks, Abandoned pier one hour later. **

Glancing back at Rin for confirmation, honestly this was terrifyingly risky them on their own even if she was a demi-god there was still the whole Assassins out numbering her bit and the lack of any idea who they are meeting. “Rin are you ready?”

The pig tailed girl nods slowly adjusting her coat, the pockets of it heavy with gems. Reaching into her pockets Virginia checks her own weight in gems this dress was designed to hide them all over the place. That and their surprise servant and the fact she had Harpe means they have a few tricks up their sleeves.

“Rin..if something happens to me during this fight...just..um..well...” she looks down her face burning as she tries to say the words “Thank you for talking to me that day, and becoming my first friend... and girlfriend..and..” She covers her face out of sheer embarrassment.

“H-Hey stop that... nothing going to happen to you idiot... so..none of that okay” glancing up nervously Rin’s face was equally red and trying to look away with her usual faux irritation on her face. She was trying to pretend she wasn’t embarrassed and honestly it was pretty damn adorable.

Composing herself she adjusts her rather antique dress Rin’s family took very good care of it, even with its age it was still in prime condition. “Let’s go before we lose our nerve, if a fight breaks out, focus on Luvia and Gray then back me up in a one on one I should be fine.” She whispers softly though her tone made it clear she didn’t quite believe her own words.

As they approach the destroyed shipping crates and various damage craters now overgrown with grass and filled with water she spots Luvia and Gray leaning against a crate...unbound but wait a minute..around their necks...SHIT. “Rin!” Turning on her heel she spots something coming down fast from the top of a crate aiming for her. Bolting forward with all of her strength she manages to shove Rin out of the way while simultaneously drawing Harpe to her left hand.

Standing up her eyes adjust to the person who just tried to attack Rin, her eyes narrowed in anger as they settled on the person who looked just like her standing there with a collar in her hands. “Well you have gotten faster haven’t you my little toy?” no there was no way he was in control of that body.

“Rin go, those collars are like command spells be careful!” not giving the impostor a chance to move Virginia lunges swinging her scythe straight at their neck though the woman dodges with a speed not unlike Rider's.

“I must admit this body is fantastic, it is a shame you are so useless you can’t utilize it properly, its also a shame its a woman's body. Had it been male I might have thought to capture you and try to use your body to make another god” the sheer arrogance in this persons words, the misogynistic contempt behind each and every one. How many times did that bastard comment that once she was eighteen he was going to try to impregnate her and birth an heir worthy of the Gallista name?

“Atrum Gallista. And here I was worried I had a long lost sibling. You just tried to use that collar on Rin, that alone would be punishable, but counting what you did to me? to Maggy? To my new family and to one of my friends; I’m going to rend you limb from limb!”

“Good luck trying that, little Kuzuki. But Tohsaka over there is struggling; After all she isn’t allied with a genius like me.” That arrogant tone coming from the top of the crates Shinji what was he doing here. Adjusting her hearing he wasn’t lying Rin was on the defensive and she could tell from the grunting Luvia and Gray were struggling to regain control of their bodies.

“So you focus on me while that pipsqueak orders them to fight Rin...” She was shaking with anger as Atrum charges at her wielding a metal pole, her scythe slams into it defensively as she’s pushed back into the crate. Her wing stumps hitting hard sending pain shooting through her spine. “Rayl...Seno I’ve had enough of this. **Following the northern light, along the forgotten stars, open the gateway come forth my great island.**” She wasn’t sure why she knew this mantra but ever since arriving on her island she knew the phrase and it has since allowed her to open portals without using vast amounts of mana.

The sky begins tearing open as a stone archway forms in the sky a single being falling from it her cloak spreading out like a threatening monarch butterfly. “Caster I’ll leave the girls and that shitty teen to you. Atrum is ** MINE ** **.**” Kicking him hard in his stomach she sends him skidding back, trenches dug by his feet. Honestly him using a copy of her body was very violating and straight up infuriating.

_ ‘Do you wish to punish the one who dares steal our form?’ _ like that even needs answering her body glows with that same purple hate filled mana as she just watches his eyes widen in horror. _ ‘Show him why you are the only one fit to carry the title hero slayer’ _ Raising her hand, her fingers form a gun. The crest on her arm glows bright as summers day under her skin the generations of knowledge flowing into her. Maggie’s favorite spell, the one the Edelfelt’s were known for, the very spell they weaponized. The ball forming at the tip of her fingers was far more concentrated than normally used this spell wasn’t going to maim or injure it was going to kill and that was exactly what she wants and that spell was ** _ Gandr . _ **

Her spell flies but as expected this impostor was just as fast as she was, yet that did not stop her spell shots from shredding every crate it smashed into, each one exploding like a bomb. Atrum was definitely on the defensive trying to avoid the spells filled with her ancestries fury. But that wasn’t going to stop her, she keeps running chasing him unleashing shot after shot like a magical machine gun. Honestly between the explosions going off one wouldn’t be mistaken for thinking an artillery strike was going on. His path would take him to a car on the far end of the docks. Like hell she would allow it, but right as her finger aims a knife jams into her back her shot going wild. She lets out an angry growl as he speeds off in the vehicle, turning around she grabs the Assassin who stabbed her his skull between her fingers gripped like a freshly plucked watermelon. With all her pent up fury she slams him into the ground crushing his skull as he disappears under her. Turning her head she spots well over a dozen silhouettes appearing around her, there was no way she was going to catch up yet the sound of a motorcycle roaring after the car was all she needs to focus on the enemies before her.

** “CASTER BY...my command..spell. Fight...without any limits!” **whipping her head around Luvia had managed to break free long enough to use her last command spell on Caster who now was giving off a rather terrifying aura; vague orders were never a good thing. But it was enough of one that she could fight the Assassin’s as if she was in her prime. No sooner did the order go out though than Caster vanishes reappearing with both collars in her hands as Gray and Luvia fall to their knees from that all too familiar exhaustion.

“Well you heard my sister Assassins, are you prepared to die?” hefting Harpe on her shoulder she raises her right hand aiming at the nearest group before resuming her magical onslaught.

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** Roads of Fuyuki **

Bazett glances over Rider’s shoulder at the speedometer this bike was exceeding what it should be capable of while she did not doubt the Emiya boy had managed to upgrade this from what Lord El-Melloi II had told them this thing capped out around 205 mph redlining it. But it was easily reaching 250 mph at this point the sheer g force from Rider’s capabilities were intimidating. Bazett knew if she moved even slightly she’s going to fly off the motorcycle. The car they were chasing was taking full advantage of the roads being mostly empty at midnight and was flooring it, they were catching up but very slowly his car was designed for high speeds while they were just on a heavily modified bike. He was almost at the bridge leading back to Fuyuki, while that strange woman Suryale brought back was waiting on the opposite end it was her pride that they end this here and now.

“Bazett, we are close. Prepare to jump.” Rider was saying as little as ever, she only really seems to talk to her master or Suryale but this plan made sense. That car had a top speed of 300mph but it took a bit to get from 250 to 300 so they need to close in fast. If not for the helmet and biker leathers there was little doubt in the sealing designation enforcers mind she’d be injured by now. The car was a convertible thankfully for them meaning it was easier than stabbing a trench knife into the roof and holding on. Rider flips a switch on the throttle she can feel the screaming engine kick and buck as the strong smell of nitrous floods the engine launching them forward like a bullet. Closer...closer...closer...NOW She leaps from the bike grabbing the driver as her body slams into the back seat thank the gods for her reinforcement runes or that would have snapped her spine like a twig. Grabbing the driver by the neck she struggles to force the wheel to turn as Rider slows down a bit to keep the red lined engine from blowing.

The driver looks a lot like Suryale but that could wait for a bit it wasn’t her that much they knew throwing a reinforced punch towards the drivers side her fist is caught and twisted as a blow is sent back via the mystery womans elbow. “Pull over dammit!” every blow she throws is met with one of equal strength, glancing back behind her Rider was a car space back, fine if they wouldn’t pull over throwing a feint she takes the counter her fist colliding with the shifter. The impact of her reinforced maneuver shatters the shifter the gears locking up from the debris. At the loud screeching of metal on metal grinding Bazett kicks off the seat leaping out of the car “RIDER!” just before the car flips she feels a hand grab her pulling her onto the back of the bike as they slow to a stop avoiding the rapidly disintegrating car as it flips side over side in a flaming wreck.

“Do you know how much that cost you stupid bitch?” a busted door flies away as the impostor walks towards them body on fire burns covering their skin. Yet what was slightly more unnerving was how they were regenerating the injuries rather quickly. There was something off though...it was faster than Suryale’s but not as uniform as if it was working from the outside in rather than all at once. Their legs healing before their chest same with their arms, this person also did not need eye coverings as theirs were blue as the ocean.

“You dare wear that face” nudging the kickstand out Rider gets off the bike with anger radiating off of her. Wait a minute she’s still wearing that blindfold... how the hell did she see where she was going?! Wait that isn’t important right this second. Pulling her helmet off Bazett locks her eyes on this impostor Suryale.

“Tell me are you Atrum Galista?” Her gaze levels at the impostor with utter disgust as she walks towards them, her leather gloves glowing as the runes in them activate. The flaming wreck of a car gives way rolling off of the bridge as the person walks towards them grinning confidently as if they had already won.

“I see the Fraga clan aren’t the brutes the Clock tower claims they are, you know my name very good.” He flexes his stolen forms hand grinning back at them. “Honestly I shouldn’t be surprised you are standing despite that leg injury your more muscle than brain regardless”

“And you are just an oil baron with semi decent magical circuits who stole a form you are unworthy of.” Looking past the impostor the woman stands there bow in hand arrow knocked aiming straight for him. “Rider if he even so much as moves kill him. But first I have a question for this bastard, who told you where to find Suryale? And who told you about that synchronization ritual?”

“Well there is a voice I did not expect to hear again. Ophelia Phamrasolone the Valkyrie of the Clock Tower, I guess it makes sense my toy once belonged to you, as to your question it doesn’t really matter because once I’ve killed you I’m taking that mystic eye of yours for myself” Bazett’s eyes widen as an arrow explodes out of the mans stolen chest yet he simply laughs and cackles the wound sealing up as fast as it was made.

“My body is superior to that brats!!! Did you really think that arrow would hurt me?” he raises his hand as a flames flicker under his fingers but quickly extinguish the surprise on his face meant this was not planned. Perfect.

Lunging forward Bazett charges like the berserker she is, Rider right behind her as the pair attack from opposite ends, right and left, up and down. Her fists impacting at the same time Riders kicks hit the fake Suryale, bones and flesh crunching under each strike. This body he stole and was using buckling under their powerful blows only able to block of weave barely. Atrum’s entirely on the defensive and they were pushing him closer and closer to the woman who was knocking a trio of arrows her lone eye focusing on the person they were fighting.

The woman who Atrum called Ophelia was moving her lips insanely fast as Runes began forming in the air before her arrows, Eye on her target with a murderous intent one would only see from a mother bear when her young were threatened. Not that Bazett knew much about this woman as she looks barely nineteen but talks and is treated as if she’s in her thirties if not older. Raising her fist Bazett’s blow as well as Riders kick send the fake flying straight towards Ophelia’s arrows as they let loose flying through her runes into the impostors back.

“Fucking...bitch” was all he gets out as the arrows rip through him flying past Rider and Bazett with frightening accuracy. His wounds however were healing slower the flesh around them seared with the smell of burning snake skin. They were still regenerating but the heir of the Fraga clan could tell whatever she just cast hurt him a lot.

Lunging forward, Bazett’s muscular hand grabs the fakes neck slamming him into the ground repeatedly the asphalt cracking under her repeated slamming. Atrum’s smile is outright infuriating was there anyone he didn’t look down on? You don’t earn a nickname in the Clock Tower without a reason, yet this upstart thinks because he’s rich he can get away with such level of out right Blasphemy? Suryale may not be her families god, but there is one thing in general they do not tolerate mocking divinity after all the only group closer to what that child is was hers with their gift for loyal service generations back. Her skin starts prickling with the sensation of hatred and rage coming from the man below her that same abyss like mana bubbling to the surface.

“Bazett get away from him!”

Not needing to be told twice she leaps back next to Rider as their victim gets back to his feet, tossing his long lavender hair over his shoulder and grinning at them with Suryales face, her teenage body, his hands running over his stolen form. It felt like a violation just possessing that form that wasn’t his, body let alone his genetics, he is just a thief; yet all the Sealing designation enforcer can feel is rage at his flagrant show.

“This power... GODS does it feel...Great!” he buckles over golden scales taking over his right arm, fingers cracking, bending, breaking, and reforming into talons. “What is this?! What is happening to me?!”

“Did you really think you wouldn’t be susceptible to synchronization in a stolen form? You stripped yourself of her unique abilities but forcefully merged her with scales of Gorgon. Unlike you she spent time learning to adapt to this issue, while you spent your time flaunting your stolen powers.” The sheer rage in Ophelia’s voice was rather unnerving to her as the entire brief time they’ve known this woman she’s been reserved and quiet yet now there was volatile anger behind her eyes, ones that very much remind Bazett of the look Caster got when Suryale went missing.

“Fucking Bitch...”

Rider raises her chain nails to lunge forward again when off in the distance a large explosion happens down at the docks, in that brief moment their prey uses the distraction to leap into the water below. Running to the railing they all look down glaring in anger. “Rider take Ophelia and go check what that was, I won’t be far behind.” Before either could react Bazett shoves her leather jacket and helmet into the smaller womans arms. **“Go!”**

_—_-_-_-_-_-_-_—_-_-_-_-_-_-_—_-_-_-_-_-_-_—_-_-_-_-_-_-_—_-_-_-_-_-_-_—_-_-_-_-_-_-_—_-_-_-_-_-_-_—_-_-_-_-_-_-

** The docks at the same time. **

Flames as far as her turquoise eyes can see, reaching up Rin pushes a damaged section of crate off of her bloody body. Every part of her aches with a dull throb while her leggings and blouse are caked in blood, she isn’t quite sure how much is hers.

She and Caster had just freed Gray and Luvia from those collars when something behind them exploded. _ What kind of magus uses bombs?! _ Forcing her left leg to support her body, she grabs a nearby pole using it as a crutch of sorts while limping along the flaming debris looking for well anyone. “Caster! Luvia! Gray! Virginia! Anyone?!”

A nearby pile of torn metal sheets and damaged wood shifts eventually sliding to the side as Caster who was barely maintaining her physical form at this point stands up. Three small beams impaling her chest as her body slowly starts turning into spirit particles. “Girl... tell her...I’m sorry I can’t see her graduate.”

Running forward Rin barely manages to catch the servant, the corner of her eye seeing Gray and Luvia unconscious on the ground in those weird harem outfits. Luvia’s command seals were used up, meaning Caster had no master and was this badly injured no wonder she was starting to fade. Gritting her teeth she lays the woman down gently trying best not to disturb the beams she didn’t need the woman dying before she could complete this. Placing a hand gently on the injured servants chest she closes her eyes.

“Heed my words. My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grails call, and obey my will and reason. Then do as I will and entrust my destiny to your sword.” Will it work? Will forming a new pact save Caster before she dies to these injuries?

Her remaining two command seals burn as light erupts from her hand the servants body slowly glowing as her eyes open. “On my honor as Caster, I...Accept you as my master..”

At that moment for the briefest of moments Rin felt as if she made a mistake as her entire body became heavy, unable to support its injured self. Caster was healing but it was taking every last bit of Rin’s mana to do it. Glancing back she sees two people running towards her a third helping a familiar young woman to her feet. _ Good they found Virginia... _ she isn’t sure why but the ground comes at her fast as the darkness takes her. Then...nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was rewritten a few times because I did not quite like the flow, or the pacing, or well I was having trouble explaining how the hell Atrum was still alive. 
> 
> So to those wondering why Caster seems to have a whole variety of abilities I'm not making anything of hers up. She's the 5th strongest mage in human history in fate according to Solomon himself (Solomon, Merlin, Sheba, Circe, Medea) and in side Materials Medea is able to make everything from Mystic codes to insanely complicated rituals, she simply doesn't because of time and Kuzuki not having magical circuits. She was also trained by Circe so it isn't unreasonable to have her be able to do whatever her aunt can do to a lesser degree. 
> 
> This is the final third of the story future stories will not be this long. :) Enjoy all


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